The Rose and Her Thorns
by BlackRosePoetry
Summary: Nine children, three supervillains and three vigilante's; this can only happen in Gotham City baby! Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn and a rather reluctant Riddler make a surprising discovery after busting out of Arkham. HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunni Amyx; she was a fairly normal girl by most means. She liked to play basketball, loved her drums and her baby brothers. The only thing about Sunni that wasn't stereotype teenager was the fact that her father was a millionaire. Combine that with eight little brothers and you got Sunni Anne Amyx.

Tall and athletic, Sunni crept through the wooden halls of her family's mansion on silent ninja feet. She was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, artfully ripped and worn to perfection, with a green tank-top to boot. Bare feet padded across the floor silently, passing the twin's room. They were sleeping in their beds, completely oblivious to the world around them. Sunni's long curly blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, sweat running into her eyes.

It was like an oven in there. Sunni moved faster, now running as silently as possible to check on her younger brothers. Jaylon was sleeping soundly, his mahogany brown hair plastered to his head and his stuffed replica of his dog tucked under his arm. Camden; he was sprawled out on his back, his round face red as he fought a foe in his dreams.

Jasper's room came next, the painted clowns on the wall staring down at the fourteen year old with hate. To be perfectly honest, Sunni was unnerved by the stupid things. They made her skin crawl worse than her father did. Thankfully, the chubby three year old was still there, his caramel colored hair made darker by all the sweat pouring through it.

Sighing with relief, Sunni took off, her hazel-green eyes shining in the darkness that surrounded her. It was five o'clock in the morning, so no one was awake at the time except for her. Well, that was what she thought anyways.

Tiptoeing quietly, Sunni made her way to the nursery were her three youngest brothers slept. Entering the large and airy room, Sunni made out the two cradles and the small toddler bed. With her stealthy ninja-like silence, the girl crept over to the bed where the oldest of the three slept.

Miles was snoring softly, a thumb stuck in his mouth. Thick hair, the color of dark chocolate, swirled in waves around the one-year-old's head as he slept. The little boy may have been adopted, but he looked just like Sunni's uncle used to.

The next crib contained Hayden, her actual biological brother. The nine month old was dead to the world, fiery red hair haloing his head in the dim light. They were closed peacefully right now, but Sunni knew that he had their mother's eyes; a green so deep that they looked like emeralds flecked with black crystals.

Sunni fully expected to find her other adopted brother, Howard, in the last crib. But he wasn't there. Fear gripped Sunni's heart in an icy vice, choking her and nearly making her cry. He was at it again. Why couldn't Dad just give it a rest?

Rage quickly replaced the fear and Sunni forgot all about stealth, running through the manor towards the library. Ripping open the door, the teen selected the proper book on the shelf to open the laboratory. Bare feet slapped against the sterile floors of the lab, making the bright white of the tile less than pristine.

There! Her dad was standing there, Howard in the chamber before him, the little six month old blond sobbing frantically. The poor thing couldn't even sit up yet without help, and now Dad was running his experimental power-inducing technology on him!

The big red button; that was what started the process. She'd seen it so many times before on her other brothers. The twins, Eli and Gabe, couldn't even look at the door of the library without bursting into tears after their turn as test subjects. Jaylon, Camden, and Jasper wouldn't even look at their father any more, preferring to stay in the comforting arms of their big sister. Hayden had been too young to remember much about his experiment, and his father was too much of a coward to try anything on his strongest child, so Howard was obviously the best choice.

Sunni screamed; a long drawn out, "NO!" that didn't have any effect on her father's decision to test her youngest brother.

The machine started, a glass dome coming down to cover the table on which Howard was placed. Sunni ran up to the glass, pounding on it with her fists and crying. A snarl formed in her throat as she turned to her father.

The man was 6'5" tall, with a svelte frame and well chiseled face. Thick, dish-water blond hair framed his eyes, which were a cold, metallic blue. Ice with flecks of fire, her mother had once described them as. Right now, the ice overcame the fire, freezing Sunni to the spot with the power of their hatred. Insanity also lied in their depths, only egging on the already confident man.

His voice rang on the sterile air, deep and menacing with a sharp edge to it. "Why are you up girl? Shouldn't you be in bed where you belong?"

"Daddy stop it please! You're hurting Howie!"

Sunni rushed over to him, trying to push back the man that she had called Daddy since she was only a year old. Said man pulled her back from him, slapping her hard across the face. "Howard will be fine. My serum will only make him stronger."

"Daddy please! He's only six months old and you're torturing him!"

To emphasize her point, Sunni banged on the glass, which was filling up with a white gaseous substance. Howard was positively _howling_ now, thrashing about and coughing as the serum took effect. His muscles were taught underneath his skin, knotted and contorted in a manner that was bound to be torturous.

Sunni was sobbing herself, horrified by the sight of her youngest brother being experimented on like a common lab rat. She turned back to her father, the man's eyes sharply disapproving of her behavior.

Where was the man she used to know? Where was the tall, strong dad who used to tuck her in at night and tell her tales of princes and dragons? What happened to the cuddly bear that loved dogs and would laugh at stupid things like deer-in-the-headlights jokes?

"Daddy, what happened to you? You've not been yourself since Mom died."

Fury turned the icy blue to a steel gray and perfect rows of white teeth ground together in agitation. "I'm not different! I'm stronger, more powerful; I'm not weak like you and your brothers. This serum is going to make you tough. It's here to make you grow up and be responsible and act mature."

Sunni shook her head, shutting her eyes as tears started to pour from them. She spoke slowly and calmly, not wanting to provoke her father's explosive temper. "Dad, just because we have powers doesn't mean that we can become adults overnight. You're traumatizing them! You're making those boys suffer in ways that I can't possibly fathom! Please, you have the power to make this stop! Just stop and go back to the way the way you were before. Please Daddy!"

The machine suddenly stopped whirring, retracting its glass to reveal a now incredibly pale Howard. His eyes were still blue, but they were metallic and sharp as a razor. Howard lifted his hands, revealing light glow around them as he slammed them into the wood beneath his back. Tendrils of wood and leaves began to sprout from it, extending and growing for a full minute before finally stopping.

The pulsating energy around Howard's hands finally ebbed, the metallic edge in his eyes leaving as well. Sunni rushed over to the small baby, lifting him with carefully practiced hands and cradling him gently. Her father was ecstatic, insane glee radiating off of him.

"This is perfect! Simply marvelous! I've created a child that can rejuvenate and regenerate the natural world around him at will!"

Sunni's voice was just as icy as her dad's had been not a moment before as she spoke. "You're not my Dad anymore. You're a cruel and insane monster and I'm calling the police."

That effectively shut him up. The cold was back again, even stronger this time. Sunni's father approached her, moving slowly in a menacing stalk. Sunni pressed Howard into her chest, fear reflecting in her hazel eyes.

"You're not calling the police on me child. Not unless you can do it telepathically you won't!"

With that, the tall man launched himself at his daughter, grabbing her arms in an iron vice and wrenching the baby from her grasp. He then lifted her, slamming her down onto the now tendril-covered table with enough force to bounce her skull off of it.

Taking the opportunity, the insane chemist pressed the red button, the thick glass dome descending over his only daughter. She was starting to stir, but it was too late by then. The dome was securely in place and the serum was starting to fill the chamber.

Sunni pounded on the glass as the gas started to enter her nose and mouth. It burned like hell, making her cough and wretch. The girl was forced to give up her insane pounding as she started to get light headed, the white mist around her swirling in complex patterns and shapes. Fire seemed to be raging its way through her blood stream, and Sunni could feel the change coming over her.

Power; it boiled and swirled through the teen's blood. Long blond hair darkened, turning to the deep bottomless black of outer space. Her eyes, once that beautiful shade of hazel, where now a bright amber, like a wolf's and her canines began to lengthen and strengthen into ripping fangs. Renewed strength coursed through Sunni now and she smiled as the gas began to dissipate.

The glass dome rose away, revealing the crouched form of his daughter to Mr. Amyx. He grinned; an insane smile that could give the Joker a run for his money, and rubbed his hands together. His giddiness was quickly replaced by horror as Sunni looked up, bright amber eyes glowing under curtains of black hair. She grinned, revealing canines that were at least two inches long.

"Good-bye Dad."

And with that final growl, the mutated teen pounced; ripping into her father like a dog would a piece of meat. The canines made short work of his tender flesh, shredding arteries in the man's neck as if they were tissue paper.

Sunni stood as her father bled to death, horror and sanity creeping into her eyes as she realized what she had just done. Crimson coated her face, chest and arms, giving evidence as to what had just taken place. She stepped away from the body, crying and changing back into what she had looked like before the mutation.

Shaking, Sunni lifted Howard from where her late father had placed him on a cart and rushed up the stairs. It was almost six in the morning, still early enough for her to have plenty of time to get ready. The pounding of her heart and what she had last said to her father reverberated through her ears as Sunni placed Howard back in his crib, a fresh change of clothes now placed on the baby.

Sunni ran into the bathroom, washing the blood from her face and arms frantically with hot water. _Good-bye Dad. Good-bye Dad. Good-bye Dad._

That single sentence played over and over again in her ears as she scrubbed, removing the physical evidence of where she had mauled her own father. Sunni looked at herself in the mirror when she was finally clean, noting the singular difference that remained when she changed back. Her eyes; they still sparkled with a familiar amber backdrop, another color mixed in with the bright hazel and green.

Sunni closed her eyes and stripped, throwing the soiled clothes into a trash bag she pulled from under the sink. She ran to her bedroom, the familiar dark purple of the walls and bedspread doing little to soothe her. Dressing in comfortable clothes, Sunni could now set her mind to what she really needed to do; call the cops and get the hell out of there.

Numbness filled Sunni to the core as she packed all of her clothes and her perfume into a suitcase. It was all over. This life of luxury would never again be for her and her brothers. They were going to have to run to some slum in the middle of Gotham, never to return to the mansion they called home.

She lifted the suitcase with surprising ease, carrying it with one arm down the grand marble staircase and into the foyer. Sunni sat it down by the door, running back up to pack the boys' bags as well. The work went fast, as Sunni's mind was in a fog. She moved swiftly, silently, and methodically like a ninja, not wanting to disturb the others.

Each time there was a new suitcase; she brought it down the stairs and sat it by the door. Each time she returned to pack another one. It was almost seven by the time she got done, so Sunni was sure the boys would be waking up any time now. She shrugged. Might as well wake the twins up and tell them what happened. It'd make the whole process a lot quicker.

Running up the stairs on socked feet, Sunni entered the domain of Eli and Gabe fearlessly, ignoring the piles of dirty clothes that littered the floor around her feet. Throwing open the curtains, she turned back to the beds and placed her hands on her hips.

"Wake up you two. We're leaving in an hour."

Eli groaned and looked up at her, his electric blue eyes bleary and his white-blond hair tousled. "Why are we leaving?"

"Because Dad's dead and I killed him; does that answer your question?"

Eli's eyes widened and he leapt out of bed, reaching his older sister in less time than it took for you to blink. "What do you mean you killed Dad?"

"I mean just what I said. I killed Dad in a blind rage after he mutated me and Howard. Now get dressed and help me wake up the others."

It only took a few seconds for Eli to dress and be ready to help. Poor Gabe didn't have the luxury of super speed, so it took him a few minutes to get ready and be able to help. Sunni didn't comment on anything. She dressed the babies in stony silence.

She left the twins in charge of the others as she went into the garage, carrying all the suitcases with relative ease. Five vehicles were all lined in a row before her; a Dodge Charger, a Ford Mustang, a black Trans-Am, a Jaguar, and a Cadillac Escalade. She would've killed to be able to take some of the former cars instead of the Cadillac, but Sunni had no choice. That SUV was the only thing that could carry all of their stuff and them without being conspicuous.

Popping the trunk, Sunni quickly loaded the back with their suitcases and ran back inside the house. It was the end of November, a November in Gotham tended to be harsh and unforgiving. The boys were all dressed and ready; bleary eyed and half asleep maybe, but ready.

Sunni grabbed her winter coat from the rack just next to the door. "Alright boys! Let's move it out!"

With that, the children made their way into the garage, loading into the Cadillac, though not without some difficulty. Gabe used his multiplication mutation to create copies of himself so he could help load in more than one kid.

Finally, after ten minutes and many obstacles, Sunni got into the driver's seat of the car and started it up. She pulled out of the garage, not turning to look back at the place she and her brothers once called home. That was just a memory now, and she wasn't about to be one of those reminiscent people that only looked back.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunni drove the Escalade through the downtown Gotham slums. She was careful to pick a place that no one would suspect a bunch of spoiled rich kids to go, as well as making sure that she wasn't going to be robbed in the process of moving into whatever building they could find. Her father's Blackberry was in her hand as she drove, the dial tone soon giving way to the crisp voice of a 911 operator.

"911 what is your emergency?"

Sunni turned to boys and pressed a singular digit to her lips before answering the woman in her best panicked voice. "It's my Daddy Miss! Someones killed him! Please get the police here fast!"

The operator spoke quickly and soothingly. "Sweetheart, where are you at? You've gotta tell me so that I can send someone to help."

"I'm at the residence of James Anthony Amyx on the outskirts of Gotham. Please hurry! They're gonna find me and my brothers!"

Eli and Gabe snickered at the false panic voice Sunni was using, but her now incredibly eerie glare shut them up fast. "I know where that is. Don't worry sweety, someone's gonna be there really soon. I promise."

Sunni breathed harder, making it sound like she was panicking even further. "Oh my God! They're outside the door! I've gotta go. They're gonna hear me!"

"No sweetheart! Don't!..."

At that, Sunni hung up the cellphone, cutting off sharply to make it seem like someone had snatched the phone from her. The twins started to giggle quietly again, they're laughter slowly rising in volume and pitch until it was reverberating through the SUV. Jaylon and Camden actually plugged their ears, stuffing their fingers deep into the organs to at least muffle the high pitched squeals of laughter.

A vein throbbed in Sunni's temple and she snarled. "SHUT UP!"

Silence pervaded the atmosphere in the car, as the oldest ones eyes glared with a dangerous amber light. They soon returned to their normal hazel color and Sunni sighed, apologizing quietly for her outburst. She really needed to work on controlling her temper, but now wasn't the time for deep breathing exercises.

"Look guys, we really need to stop fooling around and find someplace decent that can accommodate us all. Now can you please look outside your windows for a new home."

Jaylon spoke from the back, his relatively low six-year-old voice coming out slightly muffled. "Sunni, can we go to the big house with the plants?"

Sunni stopped at an intersection stop sign and looked to her right. Sure enough, there was a large greenhouse with a house attached to it just off the highway. Looking both ways, Sunni roared into the driveway of the greenhouse. She parked the car just outside the building, putting it into park and staring at the dark green glass panels around it. Looking at the nine year old twins beside her, crammed into the passenger seat uncomfortably.

"Stay here and look after the younger ones. I'm going to go in and make sure it's safe."

With that, Sunni leapt out of the car and went to the front door of the greenhouse. She was dressed inconspicuously, so there was no way for any nosey neighbors questioning her about what she was doing. Looking over her shoulder, Sunni pulled out a bobbypin and stuck it in the lock, picking it and getting the door open in less than 15 seconds.

Entering the building was the easy part, searching it and making sure it was safe was the hard part. Sunni snuck in and looked around the large living room she found herself in. The walls were a mint green, with plants in pots all around the room. It looked like a jungle had been brough into the home. Tip-toing on her famous ninja feet, Sunni made her way into the kitchen. It looked like a professional chef's kitchen, with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Not only was it professional looking, but it was also huge.

Sunni snuck back into the living room and went down the hall to the bedrooms. There were three, all green and crammed with plants of everyshape and size. One in particular was larger than the rest, with a bathroom attached to it. All of them were quite large, but the master was by far the biggest. The bathroom attached was large too, with a gigantic bathtub with beautiful stonework and, again, huge potted plants surrounding the tub.

She snuck back out, searching for the guest bath. Sunni found it next to a certain room that she found rather odd. The guest room had pictures of the Joker everywhere, including a Real Villains plushy. There were also black and red jumpsuits in the closet that made the teen a little uneasy, but she shrugged the feeling. This place was perfect and she was wasn't about to pass up the one actually decent place she had found in this hell hole called Gotham.

Sunni strode out into the greenhouse, only to be met with a sight that was strange to say the least. The plants were huge! The roses and violet and various other flowers were at least three times the size of normal specimens. There were also many different kinds of vines of all different shapes and sizes...that were moving. In the center of this nest of plants on steroids was a giant Venus flytrap. Teeth the size of her arm lined the side of that thing, and Sunni was absolutely stunned by it.

Retracting back into the house section, Sunni stood there for a moment. This place was perfect, but she was nervous. Something about this place made her nervous. She knew of a villain that had some sort of a plant motif and another villain that was obsessed with the Joker, but she couldn't place their names. If this was their home, and they came back,she and her family were in deep dog do.

Exiting their new home, Sunni waved to her brothers to tell them that it was safe. Sunni ran over and helped unload the boys, lifting Hayden from his car seat and holding him close to her chest. This place was going to help them heal...Sunni just didn't know that it was going to do that in more ways than one.

_Arkham Asylum: The Recreation Room_

Harley Quinn was bored. Now, a bored Harley usually meant a very annoyed and disgruntled Joker, but today her unfortunate victim was none other than the great Poison Ivy. The bubbly blond was chattering non-stop, trying to relieve her boredom with excessive talking. It wasn't working. The green plant villainess was slowly turning red with the effort of restraining her rather volitile temper.

Finally, Poor Ivy just couldn't take it anymore and snapped. "Harley! Would you just stop talking!"

The blond's pigtails seemed to droop and she pouted, slipping away like a kicked puppy dog. Immediately, Ivy felt bad. Harley had a triple hit of poor fortune; she was blond, childish, and trusted easily. The poor kid didn't have a chance.

Harley was talking with Edward Nygma, to her known as Eddie. Over the past few weeks, Eddie had become one of Harley's "BFF's". Nygma actually enjoyed Harley's company and tended to be less pompous around her. They made a strange pair of friends, but a cute pair just the same.

Ivy strode over to them, Harley immediately pouting and turning the other way. Eddie gave Ivy a knowing grin and began to speak, his smooth voice ringing with a mocking tone. "Ivy! Harl was just telling me that you were yelling at her. Now why would you do such a thing?"

The icy glare Ivy gave him didn't make the pompous grin disappear, so she turned to the still-angry Harley. "Come on Harl! You know why I yelled at you! You get yelled at by Joker all the time, so why do you pout when I do it?"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Arkham Asylum: Recreation Room_

Harley was still pouting at Ivy's outburst almost five minutes ago, making the auburn-haired plant villainess extremely aggravated. The childish blond had decided to hang out with one of her rather strange newfound friends; The Riddler. Riddler, or as Harley called him, Eddie, was actually a very good friend to the rather ditzy harlequin. Sure he was pompous and utterly annoying most of the time, but Eddie's heart was as mushy as playdough when it came to Harley.

Harley and Eddie were currently sitting on the couch, the harlequin chattering away about nothing. Eddie just sat there, smiling serenely and pretending to listen as he worked out a sudoku puzzle. Ivy walked up, her red hair swishing against the rough cotton fabric of her Arkham uniform. She stood before the man, hands on hips and a slender eyebrow raised. The Riddler looked up from his sudoku, smiling pompously up at Ivy with his perfect white teeth.

"Why hello Ivy! What brings you to see little old me?"

Ivy rolled her eyes. "I haven't come to see you, you riddling twat. I'm here to talk to Harl."

The blond had noticed her best friends presence, and was currently facing the other direction, nose in the air and arms crossed defiantely over her chest. Ivy sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Why did Harl have to be such a pain? She couldn't just make something easy on her for once!

"Come on Harl! Please stop giving me the cold shoulder. You aren't Freeze, so it doesn't become you."

Turning her head, Harley reguarded Ivy for a moment before promptly sticking her tongue out at her and whipping back around. Poison green irises widened as the lids around them twitched, showing Ivy's irritation at her best friend.

"Harley, what did I do! You're just being difficult now."

Harley whipped around, glaring at Ivy with her bright baby blue eyes. "You're not supposed to be the one that yells at me for doing nothing! That's Mistah J's job! And it makes me mad when you do it!"

Eddie frowned, closing his sudoku puzzle and sliding over closer to Harley. "Harley, you know you're the only one that Ivy really enjoys the presence of. Don't throw that away because you're overreacting to one little snap."

Sighing, Harley turned around to face a double whammy of two red heads assaulting her eyes. "Thanks Riddles." Turning to Ivy, she added, "Sorry for bein' a pain Red."

A smirk crossed Ivy's red lips and she plopped down between Harley and Eddie. She turned to Harley, amusement lighting her eyes. "You're forgiven Harl."

Eddie cleared his throat slightly, a smirk of his own gracing his ever-smiling features. His normally loud and slightly obnoxious voice was now a smooth whisper, actually sounding slightly sexy, if that was possible for the Riddler. "I've gotta deal for both of you."

The women stared at him, eyebrows raised and waiting expectantly for his proposal. A grin split his face and he continued, voice just barely audible as he pulled a plain white-plastic card out of his sleeve. "I managed to swipe a master card-key from the nurse after my...encounter with Two-Face last week."

Ivy chuckled behind her hand. Riddler had gotten the crap kicked out of him after telling Two-Face that his coin was, "an inferior way of decision making that was only for fools." He'd been in the infirmary for a full six days after Two-Face flipped to see if he should walk away or beat the holy living crap out of Eddie. Two-Face got his way and got three tranquilizer darts stuck in his neck before he could finish his rather savage beating. Shuddering, Riddler went on with his proposition. "I've decided to bust out. Tonight. I was wondering if you would provide me with a place to stay if I broke you out as well."

Harley nearly squealed, only keeping it in by covering her mouth with her hands. Ivy was less reactive, but you could see the excitement and hope reflecting in her eyes as she observed the rather ordinary looking card. That square piece of plastic was her ticket to freedom; her ticket to get back to her babies. The only catch was she'd have to put up with Nygma until he could get on his own. This would take some pondering.

Harley beat Ivy to the chase, whispering excitedly, "Sure you can stay with us Eddie! Red's got a great house down in Gotham and there's plenty a' room for us all."

Ivy sent a glare that could melt steel towards Harley, but nodded in agreement with what the blond had to say. She could put up with a little bit of annoyance as long as it gained her freedom. Eddie grinned and slipped the card back up into his sleeve. "It's settled then. I'll get you out at nine tonight. That'll give us plenty of time to exit Arkham and reach your hideout before the guards come around at ten."

Ivy sighed happily and wrapped an arm around Eddie's shoulders. "Thanks Eddie. You might be annoying sometimes, but you know how to treat a girl."

_Ivy's Home; Eight-thirty p.m._

Sunni stood in the kitchen, placing a couple of pizzas in the oven. She had her hair tied back into a long ponytail, sweeping the silky blond strands away from her face so she could better work. The boys were in the living room, watching a cartoon. The babies however, were all sitting in high chairs Sunni had managed to swipe from a local mini-mall. Howard still made things sprout from time to time, but that was only when he got mad. At least the greenhouse flourished when he was around, the many exotic plants responding as soon as he entered a room.

A sudden coughing sound drew Sunni's attention towards Hayden. The little boy's face was as red as his hair, giving him the appearance of a carrot. Sunni's eyes widened as smoke began to billow from the nine-month-old's nose.

"Oh sh...!"

But before Sunni could finish her swear, Hayden proceeded to billow out flame, nearly setting Sunni's hair aflame. Oh the joys of James Anthony Amyx's experimental power technology! The three newest members of the Amyx children's motley crew; Snow, Fang, and Steel, paced into the room. They were timber wolves, though they had a special bond with Sunni that made them safe to be around. She shared a bond with them that seemed to derive from the powers that her father gave her.

Sunni smiled as she remembered the day she met them. It wasn't but six days ago that she met the wolves, but they were already well integrated into their family.

_Sunni strolled down the streets of her new neighborhood, scoping out what they were dealing with. The Cadillac hadn't been stripped to the frame yet, so she assumed that it was a good sign for a downtown Gotham slum. _

_She passed an allyway, barely giving it a moments glance. Then she stopped. Something had moved down there, and she wasn't sure why, but she wanted to take a second look. Whatever it was, there were three of them, and they gave off a weird vibe that she could somehow pick up on. Sunni had been able to do that as of late, so she assumed that it was a part of her powers._

_Down the dark allyway, Sunni could just make out the forms of what seemed to be three dogs scavenging for food. What was strange was she thought she heard them talking, but it wasn't in her ears. She could hear it in her mind, almost like telepathy. _

**_I'm so hungry Steel! I've gotta find me some meat!"_**

_A tired sigh reverberated through Sunni's skull. **"I know Snowy. I'm hungry too, but we just have to keep trying."**_

_Sunni approached the wolves and whispered, "Hey, guys. Are you hungry?"_

_The wolves whipped around, snarling viciously, with their amber eyes glowing in the darkness. The largest one was an iron grey color, black flecked into the deep and rather luxurious looking pelt. His muzzle was criss-crossed with scars, the stark white tissue contrasting with his fur. The other two were...well, they were scrawny. One was a creamy white color, its hide clinging to its frame and displaying the poor creature's ribs. The last one was a deep black color, the deep shade of a moonless night. _

_Suddenly the creatures quited, looking on Sunni with intense curiosity. **"You are pack."**_

_Sunni spoke in her head this time, unaware that her eyes were now glowing with the same intense and wild amber that the wolves' was. **"What do you mean I'm pack?"**_

_**"You're a predator; a wolf like us."**_

_**"No I'm not! I'm human!"**_

_The biggest one stepped foreward.** "You are pack because you are a wolf at heart." The wolf cocked his head. "I am Steel. These are my packmates, Snow and Fang. Will you also be our packmate?"**_

_Sunni held her head in her hands, the amber fire in her eyes glowing all the brighter.** "Wait, why are there wolves in Gotham City?"**_

_The small white one, Snow, stepped forward with her ears pricked and head cocked to the side.** "Our pack used to live in cages, but we left over three weeks ago. Now we're really hungry, so can you give us some meat?"**_

_Sunni laughed a little and kneeled to the wolves' level, locking eyes with Fang.** "I will be your packmate and you can live with me and my family. We'll also feed as much meat as you want."**_

_Steel stepped foreward, his tail wagging and bright red tongue lolling out as he panted.** "We'll go with you. You're family is our family. You're pack is our pack. And I really want some meat so please let your house be really close by."**_

Sunni was shaken out of her flashback by Snow's cold nose pressed into her thigh. **Hey Sunni, what was that sound?**

**It's just Hayden spitting fire again. Nothing for you and the pack to worry about.**

Fang stepped forward, his black head held regally. **Would you like for us to do something for you?**

**No thanks Fang. You're doing enough just watching the boys for me.**

The alpha wolf sneezed slightly, his version of a laugh.** The one called Jaylon has been floating around the ceiling, and we cannot seem to find the one named Camden.**

**Don't worry Fang. Camden's around here somewhere.**

**That's what I'm worried about.**

Sunni snickered and watched as the pair of wolves snuck off out towards the living room, their paws not making a sound on the floor. Looking out the window above the sink, she wondered what would make the owners of this beautiful home leave. It would remain a mystery to her forever...that is until she met the owner later that night.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Arkham Asylum: Cell of Edward Nygma_

Eddie sat in his cell, staring at the grey concrete of the walls and counting the seconds until nine o' clock. At ten seconds till, the riddling maniac stood, nonchalantly walking over to the security lock on his door. They had one on the inside of the cell just for shrinks who came into the cell with the patients. The door would be locked behind the psychiatrist as he conducted his session with the patient, and when it was time to leave, he would simply use a key card to exit the small concrete room.

A wicked grin crossed Nygma's face as he slid the credit-card shaped key into the lock, the mechanism whirring and opening his cell door effortlessly. There was a sucker born every minute, and a whole lot of them seemed to end up as guards for Arkham. And people wondered why it was so easy to escape the psychiatric facility?

Whistling, Edward made his way down the empty prison corridor, knowing full well that the guards weren't watching the security cameras. Tonight was poker night, and every inmate knew that poker night signalled a blind eye where the cameras were concerned. Grinning, the red haired genius found himself in front of Harley's cell. The bubbly harlequin was returning his grin ten-fold. It actually looked like a few of her cheek muscles were tearing.

"Hiya Harley! Fancy a stroll?"

"Wayta' go Riddles!"

Edward effortlessly slid the card into Harley's cell lock and the three inch thick glass door opened. Soon, he found himself engulfed in a bear hug that could only be dished out by the harlequin known as Harley Quinn.

"Come on Eddie! Let's get Red and split."

Ah yes! Ivy was the one supplying the residence! Turning smoothly on his heel, Eddie followed Harley down towards where Ivy's cell was. The blond was doing cartwheels in the midst of her excitement, muscles bunching and knotting in her frame as she gracefully pinwheeled around in cycles.

Hand, hand; foot, foot;

Hand, hand; foot, foot;

They managed to reach Ivy's cell without a hitch, although painfully aware that their luck could turn at any moment. Eddie elegantly offered Ivy a hand as she exited, not surprised when she rejected the gesture and decided to walk beside the forever bubbly Harley. Well...walk wasn't the right word for what Ivy was doing. It was more like flowing. Each step was precise and smooth, flowing into the next one as she moved. Perfectly smooth jade feet never made a sound as they touched the hard concrete beneath them. Without himself knowing, Eddie had fallen into a kind of drunken stupor, just watching Ivy walk.

Of course, Ivy tended to have that effect on people. The woman that was currently the subject of Eddie's drooling suddenly looked back, calling softly, "Are coming Nygma? Or are you just going to stand there and look at my ass all day?"

Shaking his head, the poor man blushed sheepishly and rushed to catch up with the two women, who were by now two-thirds of the way to the inmate property lockup. Two guards had decided to stand watch that night, but it didn't really matter. Two kisses from Ivy and they were out like lights, snoring softly on the rough floor.

Eddie snorted. Some men were so weak minded. Thankfully, he was not one of those men. He had intelligence. He had common sense. He had...the most horrible urge to kiss Ivy. Shaking his head violently again, Nygma threw off the affects of the pharamones that Ivy had secreted whilst kissing the guards and ran off to find his suit and cane. It didn't take long. I mean, how long was it supposed to take to find acid green and purple clothes with question marks on them with a gold and green cane? Not very.

Ivy simply stood near the back, waiting for Nygma to finish. On the outside, Ivy seemed perfectly cool and collected. The woman who was perfectly at ease in every situation. On the inside, though, she was nervous. Where was that girl with their ride?

Soon, Eddie strode up to her, his bowler hat perched atop his head. Ivy couldn't help but notice how it was the exact same shade as her's, albiet shorter and somewhat coarser. But it was the same vibrant shade of red. A grin rose on the Riddler's features as he stood next to her.

"So, where's Harleyquins?"

"She went to get us a ride. She should be here by now. I wonder where..."

The wall was then busted through by a large armored inmate transport vehicle, Harley sitting in the driver's seat. She waved at Nygma and Ivy, beckoning them to hurry up and join her. "Come on Eddie! Red! Let's blow this heap a' rock!"

Shrugging, the two leapt into the armored vehicle without a second thought. Why look a gift horse in the mouth, even when it was a giant rolling death trap in the hands of Harley Quinn?

They pulled out of Arkham Asylum, sirens suddenly blaring behind them. The guards must have found the open cells. It was too late though. Three of the most dangerous villains in Gotham were now on the loose...and were headed for home.

_Ivy's Hideout: Nine o' clock p.m_

Sunni sat on the couch, Snow and Steel curled up at her feet, and Miles sleeping in her lap. They had just finished dinner and they're baths, taking the time afterwards to indulge in a little cartoon time. With these many plants in a house as well as the wolves, there wasn't much time for relaxation. Well, for her anyways. That's all the boys did nowadays. Jaylon spent his time floating around the ceilings, trying to gain control of his powers. Camden **definetely** had control of his powers now, because half of the time Sunni couldn't find the stinker. Eli and Gabe practiced they're powers in the greenhouse, racing to see which one could sustain his power the longest. Gabe usually won, as copying yourself took a lot less energy than running at super-sonic speeds.

Snow yawned at her feet, the young wolf stretching luxuriously on the floor. **Sunni, can I take the boys and go to bed? I'm tired.**

**Sure thing, Snowy. Let me just make sure no one's outside before you pass out on me.**

With that, Sunni carefully got up off of the couch, picking her way through the boys that were sprawled on the floor and watching T.V. She went into the greenhouse, where Mel sat, grumbling loudly in his own plant greeting. Sunni smiled at the giant Venus Flytrap and stroked one of the vines that sprouted from his base. Once he got over trying to eat you, Mel was actually a pretty cool plant.

Fang, however, wasn't in a cool mood. He was staring out one of the greenhouse windows, growling with his hackles raised. This immediately set alarm bells off with Sunni as she crouched beside him and peered out of the window herself.

**What is it Fang?**

A growl escaped the scarred muzzle of the wolf, deep in his throat and almost rising to a snarl. **Intruders on the property. One male and two female. They're heading for the house.**

Growling of her own started to grow in Sunni's chest as her eyes glowed with that threatening amber fire. Running faster and more gracefully than your average fourteen year old, Sunni made her way back into the house. The short sprint did nothing to calm her. In fact it did quite the opposite. Wild energy pulsed through the blood in Sunni's veins as she entered the living room.

"Boys get up! There are people headin' for the house and they aren't friendly!"

Eli sprang up, grabbing Jaylon and Camden by the hands. "What do you want us to do?"

"Run to the greenhouse and hide in the foliage. I don't want to hear a single noise from in that building, you got that?"

Eli nodded, dragging his baby brothers off at supersonic speed. Gabe scrambled to his feet, multiplying himself as he went and grabbing Jasper, Howard, and Hayden. Each of the clones ran for the kitchen, following the original Gabe as he went into the greenhouse. Snowy and Steel were now in action, the white and iron-gray wolves preparing themselves to fight to the end.

Snow spoke in Sunni's mind, her bright eyes rimmed with white as she bared her teeth. **I'm ready to fight for the pack! Let's hope they don't have a pack of their own!**

Steel's calm voice spoke now; rich, deep, and smooth like molasses. **I don't wish for you to fight little one. You could get hurt.**

**But Steel! I'm ready for this! We're pack and pack sticks together, no matter the costs!**

Sunni intervened, kneeling down to place the sleeping Miles on Snow's back. **Steel's right Snow. I don't want you getting hurt. But I'm going to give you a very special job. I want you to protect the little ones. Take Miles and find the others and stick with them. They're pack too, and right now they need you to be their protector. Can I trust you?**

**Yes ma'me! **

**Good. Now get going ya' crazy pup!**

With that, Snow strode off, carefully balancing the sleeping one year old on her back as she went. Sunni watched her go before starting back into action by the sound of the doorknob rattling.

**Steel, come with me and hide in the kitchen. We're going to set a little trap for our...uninvited guests.**

A coughing wheeze that Sunni recognized as wolf laughter escaped Steel as the grey wolf followed her into the kitchen. **What fun. Traps are my kinda gig!**

_Ivy, Harley, and Riddler;_

Ivy sat, kicking her legs in anticipation as they reached the intersection leading to her home. Ah home! A word that makes any person want to scream with joy. Eddie sat beside her, quietly making small talk with Harley. For once, the bubbly blond was calm, turning onto the road that was Ivy's driveway.

A frown creased the harlequin's brow as she looked at the house she knew was Red's. The lights were on. Red would never leave the lights on while she was gone. She was much to concious of the planet around her for that.

"Uh, Red? I think someone's beat us to the house."

"What?"

Ivy leapt forward, clutching to the dashboard of the armored vehicle. Harl was right. The lights were on and she could see people in the living room through the curtains. Her light green skin flushed darker with anger. How dare some idiot invade her home! Her babies were probably in there, being abused by idiotic druggies!

Eddie noticed her sudden shade change and placed a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed slightly, leaning back in her seat as Harley parked the car on the curb. "Don't worry Ivy. We'll kick whoever's in there out and get on with our lives."

Harley spoke up now, her cheerful and optimistic attitude contagious despite the circumstances she found herself in. "Yeah Red! We'll put the whoop on em'!"

The green villainess' anger didn't fade though, and as soon as Eddie opened the door, she was out of the car and at the front door. Rattling the knob, Ivy found it locked. Cursing under her breath, she grabbed the spare key from behind a thermometer attached to the wall, jamming it roughly into the lock. Eddie and Harley had caught up to her at this point and were now exchanging nervous glances. Pain; it was the one word that could describe what those poor intruders would feel once Red gotta' hold of em'.

Ivy threw open the door, surprised to find that the living room was deserted. The T.V. was onto some cartoon and blankets littered the floor and sofa, but no one was there. Her plants responded to her presence, lightly brushing their loving mother with leaves and vines before withdrawing to their normal positions. Edward shifted nervously behind Ivy. Something wasn't right here.

"Ivy, be careful. This could be a trap."

"A low life punk isn't going to get away from me Eddie. Watch and take notes. Mother Nature's envoy is about to get vicious!"

Harley winced. She'd know that tone of voice anywhere. Someone was in big trouble when Red caught em'. No way were they going to come out unscathed. The blond followed Eddie and Ivy towards the kitchen door, a ball of unease quickly forming a boulder of panic in her stomach. Something was **way **wrong here!

Sure enough, as soon as that kitchen door flew open, they were met by a flurry of teeth, fur, and snarling. The trio quickly backed up, Edward getting ripped into by a iron-gray dog. Snarling, with its eyes glowing a bright amber, the thing latched onto the Riddler's arm and wouldn't let go. Everytime he tried to fight it, the beast would simply bite down harder and shake his head, causing more damage and pain to the man he was holding. From behind the wolf came a girl.

She couldn't have been more than fourteen, but she radiated power like a generator. Tall, with a muscular, athletic build, the girl was smiling viciously. Canines sprouted from her gums that were at least two inches long and her hair, which reached her waist, was a midnight black. What really unnerved the adults were her eyes; they were amber, with a wild fire that burned out of it and exploded into you, drawing you into their fury and power until you couldn't break the deadly trance you were in.

The girl laughed. It was rough, deepening at the edges until it became a growl at the very end. "I should've known this was a bad place to relocate. Why I never connected the plants with you, Poison Ivy I'll never know. What surprises me is that you've got roomates. Harley I can understand, but why Riddler? I mean the man walks around in a gay suit with a pimp cane telling riddles."

Nygma spoke from his position on the floor. "Hey! My suit is not gay and I don't carry a pimp cane! ...And would you kindly pull your dog off of me! He's ripping vital parts of my forearm!"

The girl never spoke a word, but the dog release Nygma anyways, returning to his mistress' side and drawing itself up in a very dignified manner.

Harley spoke first, her childish blond pigtails and blue eyes making her look like a frightened little girl instead of an insane criminal that was wanted in twelve states. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sunni Anne Amyx and this is my packmate Steel."


	5. Chapter 5

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

A glare made of fire and ice was sent in the direction of the villains. The girl, Sunni, was assessing which one of the adults were the biggest threat to her and Steel. She recognized all three of them; Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and the Riddler. Nygma wasn't much of a threat anymore, as he was lying on the floor, cradeling his injured arm gently. Harley was currently hiding behind Ivy, looking like a scared bunny rabbit with blue eyes. Ivy was a problem though. Her and steel were in Ivy's element, flora sprouting from various places around the house. They were no match for the plants if Ivy decided to make them attack.

Nygma spoke from the floor, trying to sit up despite his injuries. "What the heck is a packmate? And are you some kind of meta-human, because you're really starting to freak me out."

The glowing irises of the wolf fixed on the man, a death wish falling from the canine. Sunni sent a sharp glare Steel's way, again saying nothing, but the wolf quieted anyways. Ivy narrowed her eyes as the girl spoke again, her voice soft and gentle with only a slight growl for an undertone. "I'm not a meta-human. My family and I were mutated by our father's technology."

Harley popped out from behind her friend, curiosity etched on her every feature. "Did you say family? You mean it's not just you and the vicious wolf-dog?"

Steel snarled. **I'm not vicious! You're just a threat and insane to boot, ya blond bimbo!**

Sunni started at the sudden outburst from her friend. "Steel! Hold your tongue!"

The wolf growled mutinously, but said nothing further. Ivy stared at the girl for a moment before saying quietly, "You can understand that thing?'

"He's not a thing, Steel's a wolf. And yes I can understand him and my other packmates. My brothers can't understand them though."

Eddie stood, stumbling slightly as he made his way to his feet. Harley ran over and caught him, supporting his weight. "You said brothers. As in plural. If there's more of you...where are they?"

Sunni's amber eyes reflected sympathy for the man as he swayed, bleeding heavily from the wounds on his arm. Suddenly, the girl began to change. The long black hair started to lighten, turning into a honey-colored blond and her fangs retracted into normal looking teeth. The amber slowly faded away from her eyes as well, returning the irises to a hazel-green. Sunni shook her head slightly and winced a little.

"Yeah, there are more of us. They're hiding in the greenhouse with Snow, Fang, and Mel."

Ivy looked startled by the fact that the others were in the greenhouse, but was quickly cut off by a comment by Sunni. "Don't give yourself a stroke Ivy. I told the boys to hide in the plants, not destroy them. Besides, I'm sure Fang will keep them from getting into any monkey buisness." Taking a glance at the very pale Eddie, she added, "And if you promise not to kill us all, I'll stitch up the Riddler's arm for you."

Harley and Eddie answered simultaniously. "Deal."

Sunni nodded and opened the door, allowing Steel to go first and waiting for Harley to lead Eddie to a seat in the kitchen. Ivy was still watching warily, but floated into the familiar space that was her kitchen. Everything seemed to be in order, except for the oven was on and she could smell a pizza cooking in the oven. Harley was sitting Eddie on a chair, wrapping his arm in a towel to try and stop the bleeding.

Sunni jerked her head towards the greenhouse door, beckoning for Ivy to come with her and Steel. Before she left though, she turned to Harley. "Um, Ms. Quinn? Do you think you could boil some water for me so I can sterilize a needle?"

The harlequin grinned, ignoring Eddie as he squealed beside her. She was applying pressure to the wound, which was incredibly painful to the poor man. "Call me Harley sweetheart. Everyone does."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows that Harl."

Sunni grabbed the plant villainess' hand and dragged her towards the greenhouse. "Please try to behave when you meet my brothers Ivy. They're kind of skittish, so be gentle."

"Whatever kid."

Steel growled beside her and Ivy sent a poisonous glare towards him. Sunni called out to the boys, watching the thick foliage around her swirl from Ivy's presence. She had moved from the door and was facing the windows, smiling serenely as the plants around her swayed and slithered towards their mistress. Suddenly, a small voice sounded from behind her, confused and slightly hopeful.

"Mommy?"

Turning slowly, Ivy came face to face with a small boy. He was about six, with dark chocolate brown eyes and thick silky brown hair. The little boy's face fell as she turned, his eyes sparkling with disappointment. Strangely, that made Ivy slightly sad. She wanted to hold that little boy and make him stop looking at her with that horribly sad look.

A cold nose nudged Ivy's bare leg, causing the woman to jump. Looking down, she saw a small wolf, a creamy white in color with bright and curious eyes. Ivy found the little wolf cute despite herself, and tentatively reached down to pat its ears. Sunni walked up beside her. There were eight little boys beside her, three of which were babies. Another wolf, black and scarred this time, flanked a pair of twins.

Sunni, carrying a red-headed baby, spoke. "These are my brothers, Ivy."

The little six year old ran up to Sunni, tears in his eyes. "Sunni, I thought she was Mommy, but she wasn't Mommy."

Ivy's heart tore as the little boy started to cry. Why were these children having this effect on her? This was just plain weird.

"Come on Ivy. Let's go back in and help Eddie."

Ivy nodded and followed Sunni back into the kitchen, where Harley was boiling a needle in hot water. The kids stayed close to the wolves, scared by the new adults in the house. Eddie was leaning on the table, face pale from blood loss. Sunni pulled some thread from a drawer, baby still in her arms. Harley was watching the boys with an excited expression. She loved kids. She really did.

Ivy floated over to Harley, leaning non-chalantly on the counter top behind her. Harley leaned over and whispered, "Aren't they just adorable Red?"

"Yeah. Sure thing Harl. They're cute all right."

Sunni whispered something to the wolves, the three canines intelligent eyes shining with affection for the teenager. Suddenly, the largest one broke off, turning his scarred muzzle twoards Harley. The large male sashayed up to Harley, jumping up on his hind legs and asking her to scratch his ears. The bubbly blond quickly obliged, grinning happily as Fang's tongue lolled out.

**I really like this one, Sunni. She scratches my ears in the most wonderful way!**

**Why don't you take the boys and Harley into the other room and introduce them?**

**Can I take Snowy with me?**

**Sure.**

**Alright.**

With that, Fang gathered the oldest children and Snow, herding them into the living room. Snow followed happily, her tail wagging with pleasure. Steel followed her, much calmer and more dignified than his younger counterpart, and pushing the slackers along with a sharp nudge from his nose.

Sunni turned to Harley, threading the needle that she had sterilized while watching Hayden, who sat in her lap. "You can take Howard and go into the living room with the others, if you would like."

Harley squealed, jumping up and plucking the little six month old from where he sat in a home-made highchair. The baby giggled, cooeing and cuddling into Harley as she bounded out of the room. Ivy shook her head, smiling as she watched the happy Howard wave at her on her way out. Sunni smiled and finished threading her needle. Eddie managed to look up from where he was almost passed out, wincing as the sharp metal glinted threateningly in the bright lights.

Frowning, Sunni shifted Hayden in her lap. Looking at Ivy imploringly, she said, "Do you think you could be less haughty for about five minutes and hold him?"

Ivy rolled her eyes, but she strode over and plucked the little red-head from the girl's lap. As soon as Hayden was out of her lap, Sunni set to work on Eddie's arm. By now, the poor man had passed out, so it was easy for Sunni to stitch the muscle and skin together. The teenager had learned how to stitch rather severe wounds because her brother's tended to be very clumsy.

But Ivy was so engrossed with the little boy in her arms, she didn't notice the stitch work on Eddie's arm. Hayden was laughing, burbling happily as Ivy smiled and cuddled him. Something melted inside of Ivy as she looked on the adorable little boy in her arms. He looked at her like no other person in the world had. His eyes, that beautiful emerald green flecked with obsidian, were filled with happiness and joy and...acceptance.

No one had accepted her since her mutation. No one except Harley that is. She felt all warm and fuzzy inside. It was a wonderful feeling. Maybe these kids weren't all bad after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Eddie slowly rose out of unconciousness slowly, the fog slowly lifting from his cloudy mind. His arm felt...strange. He expected it to hurt like hell, a constant burning pain that raged and roared up his arm. Instead, he found that it wasn't a constant pain, it was a sharp throb that fluctuated and moved with a precise timing. Ever so gently, Eddie opened his eyes the barest inch and looked at his injured arm. There was a needle, fishing itself in and out of the deep wound, sealing the deep laceration seamlessly.

In and out; in and out; in and out.

The man suddenly remembered who was supposed to be stitching and his head shot up off of the table. Sunni pinned his arm down, making Eddie gasp with pain. The girl fixed him with a wicked smile as his eyes teared up, slightly lessening the pressure on his injured appendage.

"Well, we're glad you're awake Sleeping Beauty. Does your arm hurt?"

Eddie nodded his head, only to recieve another wicked smile from Sunni. "Good. It'll teach you not to mess with me and my pack."

Wilting, Eddie turned his head and found himself staring at a strange sight. Ivy was leaning up against the granite countertops, a little red-headed baby cradeled in her arms.

Poison Ivy; she was the woman that no one could resist. Beautiful, head-strong, deadly, and graceful were all characteristics that described the Ivy that was always present in Arkham. Now, standing before him, was another side of the vixen.

She was smiling; a geniune smile that made the room around her light up. The baby was laughing and burbling happily in her arms, prompting Ivy to giggle and laugh right back at him. Her green eyes twinkled, something that was close to love sparkling in the emerald irises. The little boy lifted his arms towards Ivy's face, gently patting the mint green skin with chubby fingers. Ivy then did something that Eddie expected; she kissed the little baby on his forehead.

Smiling, the insane criminal known as the Riddler spoke quietly, startling Ivy from what she was doing. "Well, you're certainly getting cozy with the kid."

The villainess actually looked...embarrassed. Her face flushed a darker green, actually making the little boy in her arms giggle a little more. "I was just...keeping the child entertained."

Eddie snorted despite the sharp and ever throbbing pain where the needle sealed his recent wound. His sharp mind and intelligence were both coming back as the blood was slowly restored to his body. "So you weren't giggling like a school girl and thinking, 'aww! look at the cute baby!'?"

Ivy blushed some more before glaring at the man before her, the venomous gaze making Nygma look at his shoes. Without another word, Ivy took the little boy and strode into the living room, leaving Sunni and Edward alone.

The girl chuckled darkly as she put the final touches on the stitch work, the wound now clean and perfectly even at the edges. "Man, you blew that one Riddles."

The Riddler looked up at her, examining his arm first to make sure that there was no possible way it was goint to fall off. He had to hand it to the chick; she knew how to stitch a deep wound better than most doctors at Arkham did. He doubted that it would even leave a scar. He frowned as he recalled what Sunni had just said. "First, I didn't 'blow' anything. And second...how do you know Harley's nickname for me?

"Harley calls you that? Damn it! I thought I was the first one to come up with it!"

"Woah kid! Stay on track. What do you mean when you say I blew it?"

Sunni snorted, grabbed a roll of rough bandages from the chair next to hers. Before she answered, the medically gifted teen gingerly lifted the newly stitched arm and began to wrap it with gauze. Then came Eddie's worse nightmare.

"Oh come on dude! I mean, it's obvious you have the hots for her. And I'm not talking pheremone-induced hots; I mean actual fall over on your face crush."

Much to Sunni's dismay, Riddler kept cool, not blushing or stammering as she had hoped he would. "I may enjoy the occasional indulgence of looking at Ivy's aa...asssets. But I do not have a crush on her."

A tight yank on the bandage surrounding the stitches on Eddie's arm caused the man to yelp in pain. Eyes watering, he watched Sunni smirk for a moment before becoming totally serious once more. "Ed, stop denying it. I can read you like a book. Despite what you think, you aren't secretive, hard to read or God's gift to women. You are a common nerd with a mental issue."

"Hurtful!"

An eye-roll responded to Eddie's childish comment. Ripping the bandage and sealing it in place, Sunni continued with what she was saying. "You didn't give me time to finish Eddie. You may be a psychopathic nerd, but you're still half-way decent. Did you notice that when Steel attacked, you stepped in front of Ivy and Harley?"

Edward frowned, recalling what had happened not an hour before. He _had_ stepped in front of that attacking wolf. It was instinctual. Eddie was usually the one that was all for saving his own ass. This was totally out of character for him, but thinking back on it...Eddie wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Responding to the girl's question, Nygma slowly nodded his head.

A smug smile tugged at the corner of Sunni's lips. "You just think about that the next time you're being a pompous ass towards Ivy. Or Harley. She may be a freakishly childish villain wanted in twelve states, but she loves you like a brother."

"Really?"

A nod. "Yep. I mean, why else would she support you and stay with you when she knew that there was a perfectly good oppurtunity to see a few little adorable blond boys."

Eddie frowned. Damn, this chick was good! "How old are you kid?"

"Fourteen, but I graduated high school at age twelve so I'm pretty much a geninus."

Dumbfounded, all Eddie could do was stare at the yound girl before him. Sighing, the teen in question grabbed him by his good arm, pulled him to his feet, and dragged the astounded riddling master to the kitchen door. "Come on Nygma. Your girlfriends are probably wondering what the hell happened to you."

_The living room; five minutes previous_

Ivy strode into the living room, baby tucked safely in her arms. Harley and the boys were watching a movie, completely enraptured by the talking characters on the screen. Frowning, she spoke, plopping down on the couch next to Harley. "What are you guys watching Harl?"

"Shhh! Red, be quite! I'm going to miss Gir and the piggy! Oh look here he is!"

At that moment, a crazy little robot stepped onto the screen, a stuffed piggy in his metal arms. Harley squealed, hugging the little brunette boy that sat next to her. "Isn't he just so cute Jay-Jay!"

The boy nodded, completely un-fazed by the bubbly blond woman's antics. On the floor sprawled the rest of the boys, lounging about with the wolves watching over them. The largest wolf had two of the smaller boys on his back, seeming to enjoy the pudgy little hands that roamed through his thick, luxurious, black pelt. The little white wolf was sitting next to the two youngest members of the family, curling protectively over them in a youthful and energetic attempt at responsibility. Next to the oldest sat the grey wolf, Steel, watching complacently as the twins laughed and giggled with each other.

Harley looked over at her best friend, a joyful twinkle in her eyes. "The kids are really nice Red. Can we keep 'em?"

"They're not dogs that you can take in off the street Harl. Besides, they've probably got a mom and dad that won't particularlly like us taking away their children."

Harley pouted, looking even more like a kid than she normally did. But her pout spree was cut short by a little voice behind them. "We don't have a mommy and daddy any more."

Whipping around, the two women came face-to-face with the little five year old that had called Ivy mommy. He had a rather angular face, with a very delicate bone structure. His eyes, which were a deep chocolate brown, were large and serene right about now. He was slender, with just enough baby fat left that you could tell he was still under age seven. The young boy was sitting on the back of the leather sofa, cross-legged and staring inquisitively at the two adults before him.

"Now where did you come from?"

The small boy shrugged, a nonchalant gesture despite the stiffness of his shoulders. "I was invisible. You looked right at me a couple a' times." He turned his gaze to the red-head in Ivy's arms. "Oh! I was wondering where Hayden was!"

Harley frowned. "Hayden?"

The boy next to the harlequin piped up, sitting bolt upright and looking across to the baby currently in Ivy's lap. "That's our baby brother's name; Hayden. That's Camden, by the way, and I'm Jaylon."

Ivy smiled at the small six year old. So formal for one his age. "I'm Ivy. And I assume you know Harley?"

Jaylon grinned and nodded energetically. "Harley's cool! I've seen you and her on the T.V. so many times Sunni lost track! And she never loses track of anything!"

Laughing, Ivy finally took note of the way the boys were behaving with the wolves. The black one was obviously the leader; that could be clearly seen from his erect posture and dominant behavior. Next came Steel, the grey wolf much more calm now, as he was wagging his tail happily. The little white wolf was the youngest, her small body lean and muscular, with a now thick coat of creamy white fur. She was on her haunches, nudging her nose into the babies bellies and making them giggle as much as she possibly could.

Now what Sunni had said made sense; they really were a pack. These wolves were a vital part of the family, as comfortable here as they would be with a pack of their own kind in the wild. They all had jobs and they all worked together to keep order in their family. These children had found order in chaos and turned it into order; the order of a pack.

A sudden yelp eminated from the kitchen and Ivy started to worry about Eddie. He wasn't exactly the tough and athletic type like Harvey/Two-Face was, and she knew that the wound on his arm had to hurt. Speaking of that particular incident, the wolf that had caused it was now staring at Ivy.

Steel stood, the twins that had been stroking him behind his ears and following the wolf's gaze as it rested on the green villainess. Feral amber eyes locked onto the woman's, sucking her in and not letting go. It was obvious that he didn't trust her, but Ivy wasn't about to show her fear of this creature.

Now the other wolves looked up at Steel, understanding showing in their eyes. They knew what was on the iron grey wolf's mind, but they weren't about to stop what ever he was going to do. The large canine strode over to the woman with the baby, eyes bright and understanding. He propped his large body up on Ivy's knee's and gently took the baby out of the stunned villainesses arms.

Harley simply stared, wide-eyed and awed by the strange sight in front of her eyes. "Wow, that is one smart wolf."

Sunni entered the room, dragging a now stitched and bandaged Eddie behind her. "Well of course he's smart. Steel and the others may be connected to me, but they were smart before they met me."

Ivy and Harley turned to Sunni, who was dragging a very dazed Eddie over to the sofa. She plopped the spaced-out Eddie on the couch next to Ivy. Lifting Hayden from Steel's mouth, Sunni smiled and whispered, "Thanks big guy."

The wolf drew himself up proudly, tongue lolling out. Harley, meanwhile leaned across Ivy's lap, tapping Eddie on the shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong Riddles? I mean other than getting ripped open by a manic wolf dog and nearly bleeding to death."

Eddie turned to Harley, eyes wide and awed, just as her's were a moment ago. "She graduated high school at age twelve."

"What?"

"Are you deaf? I said, 'she graduated at age twelve,'"

All the adults turned to Sunni at that point, stunned to hear that particular piece of information. Sunni just shrugged off the shocked stares and made a face. "I knew I shouldn't have told you guys that."

Ivy frowned. "Let's get off this subject. There's enough testosterone in this room to make me sick and I still don't know everyone's names."

Laughing, Sunni turned and whistled, watching with satisfaction as the boys jumped to their feet and lined up in order of age. It was a maneuver that their father had drilled into their brain time and time again, so she was used to the ridgitity of the move. Even the wolves had been taught the move, sitting proudly at the very end of the line.

Smiling, Sunni started with the twins. They were fairly tall, with a svelt form just like their father's. Muscles stood out against their ivory skin, and they had the astounding good looks that their father had had in his youth. With their angular features, large eyes, and silky fine hair, the twins were sure to become eye-candy when they grew to be adults. Their blue eyes were a sharp, crystalline color, a metallic edge spiking the depths. With the white-blond hair, they looked like what people would believe angels on earth should look like. The one difference Ivy found between the boys were their personalities and their hair.

"This is Eli." Sunni pointed to the one on the far end. His hair was close cropped, spike with hair gel to give him a punkish appearance. Combine that with his torn jeans and black t-shirt, and you got the punk child of the family.

Pointing to the other one, Sunni added, "And this is Gabe. His real name is Gabriel, but we just call him Gabe." This twin had longer hair, styled in an emo-type hair cut. It framed his face perfectly, setting off his white teeth as he smiled. Instead of the punk clothes his twin wore, Gabe was dressed in a dress shirt and a nice pair of jeans.

Moving on, Sunni placed her hands on the shoulders of the two older brunette boys. They had already introduced themselves, Jaylon smiling confidently while his younger brother, Camden, waved sheepishly.

Sunni continued, introducing the three year old to Camden's left. He was still slightly chubby, with a round face. But instead of making him looking like a baby, the little one looked cherubic. His hair was a light flaxen color, the light catching it just right and making it sparkle like metal. Underneath the soft baby skin and fat, the adults could make out steel-hard muscles. The three year old smiled, his eyes sparkling. They seemed to shift with the light; one minute a sharp, metallic blue and the next a deep, earthy brown.

The next one was the little twelve month old. He was still chubby, baby fat resting under the surface of his milky white skin. He face was just as cherubic as Jasper's was, but his hair was the deep brown color of walnut wood. This little boy's name was Miles, and Ivy could tell that Harley had fallen head-over-heels for him and his adopted brother, Howard. Howard and Miles were polar opposites, with Howard as angelic looking as the twins were. His eyes were a deep blue; the color of the sea on a stormy day. The six month old and his year old counterpart sat together, Fang watching over them like a hawk.

"You obviously know Hayden and Steel, so let me introduce the rest of the pack." Sunni kneeled and rubbed the big black wolf behind his scarred ears, eliciting a growl of pleasure and an avalanche of thumps from his wagging tail. "This is Fang. He's the alpha-male. The pretty little white girl at the far end is Snow."

The little white wolf leapt up at the sound of her name, panting excitedly. With a silent message from her human pack-mate, Snow trotted over to Harley, placing her head into her lap so that the villainess could stroke it.

Seeing Harley's hesistation, Sunni encouraged the normally fearless harlequin. "Come on, Snowy's not gonna' hurt you."

Eddie snorted and grumbled something, shutting up at the glare he recieved from Sunni. Harley slowly started to stroke Snow's head, making the white wolf's eyelids droop from the sensation.

**Sunni, I am forever grateful that you convinced me to do this.**

**Is she really that good at petting you Snowy?**

**Yes she is.**

Sunni spoke out loud, the amber hue that had slowly builded in her eyes vanishing. "Snowy says she really likes you. Oh, and Eddie, Steel says that it was nothing personal when he bit you. I was just setting a trap for any intruders that might want to harm us, and he attached himself to the first human other than me he could reach."

A growl escaped the grey wolf's throat. **That's a lie! I don't like these people. They're trouble. **

**Shut up Steel. You're not helping our cause.**

**I'm just saying; maybe you should tell them your sob story before you ask if we could remain in their home.**

**Good idea Steel. **

**I'm full of them you know.**

"Can I tell you guys a story?"


	7. Chapter 7

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

The boys that had previously been standing in a straight line stared at their sister, knowing exactly which story she was about to tell. Sunni looked over at them, eyes understanding, but still carrying that feral amber glow.

"Boys, you don't have to stay and listen. It's getting late anyways. Why don't you go onto bed?"

Eli nodded, his gelled hair not moving from it's rock hard position. The twins carefully lifted Howard and Miles off of the floor, watching closely as Sunni placed a sleepy Hayden on Fang's back. The silent children took off down the long hallway, vines actually parting before them. Ivy narrowed her eyes at Sunni. What kinds of mutation were they speaking about here?

Harley spoke first, making it seem as if she had read Ivy's mind. "So how did you get your powers?"

Eddie leaned back into the couch, watching the whole scene curiously. He noted Sunni's stiffening posture as she sank into an armchair next to the couch, his perceptive mind also noticing the brightening of her irises. "I take it this is a sensitive subject."

A sigh and a slight smile responded to his question. "Yeah. My brothers and I got our powers from some experimental technology our father came up with after Mom died. Let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant experience."

Ivy grimaced. "That being code for it hurt like hell?"

"Basically."

Suddenly, Sunni stiffened and stared at a spot directly behind Eddie's head. "Camden, go to bed now!"

The five year old appeared to pop out of thin air, pouting so fiercely that Ivy thought that his lower lip might fall off. "But Sissy! I wanna tell em!"

"No 'buts' mister! Bed...NOW!"

With that, the little boy shuffled back down the hall, where an obviously irritated Fang stood. He thumped Camden on the butt, making the little five year old move all the faster to where his brothers slept.

Harley cocked her head curiously. "Those boys treat ya more like a mom than a sister."

Sunni made a face, cocking an eyebrow and widening her eyes slightly. "Mom was more interested in seeing how long our dad would tolerate her presence than what her children were doing. I had to step in and be the mom after Jaylon was born. It was likewise with Dad most of the time. Sometimes he'd read us stories and play with us. When he did that he was the coolest dad ever, but that was once in a blue moon."

Ivy detected the note of sadness that crept into Sunni's voice as she continued with the story. "Mom was the one that the one that kept Dad's insanity in check. When she died in the car crasj, Dad snapped."

Harley gasped. "Oh you poor thing!"

Oblivious, Sunni continued, her eyes misting over and showing that she was in another place. "Mom died the day after we adopted Howard. She was coming home from the grocery store and was broad-sided by a semi. The paramedics said she died instantly. Dad didn't come out of his room for a week after that, and when he did he wasn't the same. Dad was...distant. He would disappear for days at a time into the lab and left me to take care of the boys on my own."

Eddie was silent. He knew what it felt like to be neglected and abused. It was scarring to say the least. No wonder this girl was on edge all the time. What said next made Eddie's blood freeze.

"Then the experiments started."

The stunned man could feel Ivy stiffen next to him. She had first-hand experience when it came to being experimented on, and it had made her crazy.

"It was a week after Mom died and Dad asked Eli if he could come down to the lab with him. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I just thought that Dad was finally moving on and healing. But when Eli came back he was...buzzing. He was moving so fast and he couldn't stop. He was crying and crying...and Dad dragged Gabe down to the lab just fifteen minutes later."

"When he came back, Gabe kept multiplying himself. First there was two, then four, then ten. He finally managed to get all his clones to disappear, but the damage was done. My brothers were mutants and there was nothing I could do to help them. As the weeks passed, Dad took Jaylon and Camden down. When Jaylon came back, he came back flying and I found out that Camden was invisible when he gave me a hug without me being able to see him."

"I yelled. I screamed. I threatened. Nothing worked to change Dad's mind. He went on to Jasper. The poor kid busted through a wall trying to get to me. Then came Hayden; spitting fire the entire time he was crying. Singed my eyebrows and charred my hair, but I didn't care. That was the last straw. I told Dad that if he tried anything with Howard or me, I was calling the police. That stopped him for about three weeks, but then he went at it again."

"Dad didn't make it easy on me. I figured out what he was doing when I went through the house and checked on the boys at five in the morning. Howard was gone and I was furious. By the time I got down there, it was too late. Dad had already started the process and there was nothing I could do to stop him. I tried to talk to him; make him see reason. But again, nothing worked. Howard came out and smacked the table and made it regenerate and turn back into a living piece of wood. Dad was exstatic, but I was fuming. I told him that I was calling the police.

"That was the worst thing I could do. Dad snapped and slammed me onto the table. He mutated me too, and turned me into...well you know. I was so angry and I was so hurt. As soon as that dome came up, I killed him. I killed my Daddy."

By now, Sunni was sobbing, tears running down her face as she drew her knees towards her chest. Harley was crying too, rushing over and enveloping the teenager into a hug. Eddie looked over at Ivy, who was stiff as a board. Tears welled in her eyes as she listened, making her remember the horrible ordeal she had to go through with Jason Woodrue. Eddie turned to her whispering, "Ivy, you okay?"

She didn't respond. The plant villainess started muttering to herself. "It's happening again. How could this happen again?"

"Come here Ivy."

With that, Eddie pulled her into a gentle hug. It was akward for him. Edward Nygma wasn't the one to go to for comfort or hugs, but Ivy really looked like she needed it just then. The green woman didn't even protest like she normally did when Harley hugged her. Ivy simply sat there, staring forward with tears in her eyes.

Harley turned to Ivy, her high pitched voice thick with tears. "Red, can they stay here? Please?"

That seemed to snap Ivy out of it and she sat up, blushing a deep forest green color. She turned to Eddie and muttered, "Thanks Nygma. I needed that."

Eddie shrugged, looking the other way. "No problem."

Turning to Harley, who still held onto Sunni, Ivy added, "Of course they can stay, Harl. I'm not about to kick them out on the street when they didn't do anything."

Harley flashed one of her trademark split-her-face grins and looked down at Sunni, who had actually cried herself to sleep. "So where are we all going to sleep?"

Frowning, Ivy stood and pulled Nygma up with her. "The couch unfolds into a futon, so Nygma could either sleep in here or make a couple of the toddlers come out here and take a guest bedroom. Either way, one of us is going to have to sleep on the floor."

Harley lifted the girl with surprising ease and placed her back down on the armchair she had been sitting in. "Let's go see where the kids are sleeping so we can shift them and see where we can sleep."

"Good idea, Harleen."

With that, the three adults crept back down the halls. They checked in Harley's room first, where they found the babies and Jasper sleeping. The babies were each sleeping on their own little palettes on the floor, covered by blankets and surrounded by pillows. Jasper slept on the bed, a small and tattered stuffed monkey tucked gently in his arms. Snowy slept next to him, curled up against the little boy's back.

Harley nearly let out a squeal of adoration and Eddie smiled at the sight of the snoring little boys. He had to admit, they were all abosolutely melt-your-heart adorable. Ivy simply leaned on the doorframe, watching them sleep for a moment. Just the barest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she managed to convince Harley and Eddie to follow her and see where the other boys were at.

In the next guest bedroom, Jaylon and Camden shared the bed, the younger brother cuddling up to his older counterpart in an attempt to find some form of protection. Fang was curled up at their feet, seemingly asleep, but alert all the same. As soon as Harley stepped into the room, Fang's head shot up and he growled; a warning not to try anything funny with the boys. Harley spoke softly, her tone of voice soothing and calm. "I'm not gonna hurt 'em. I'm just gonna check on em."

The large black wolf calmed down, eyeing Harley as she tiptoed up to Jaylon and Camden. She shifted Camden slightly, placing the little boy in a more comfortable position. Looking back on her friends, Harley smiled and whispered, "Go on guys. I'll sleep here tonight."

"Goodnight Harl."

"Night Red."

With that, Eddie and Ivy went into the master bedroom, walking through the maze of flowers and vines that criss-crossed the floor. Edward nearly stepped on one, but caught himself before he did. Ivy was sure to strangle him if she deemed his actions plant-abusive. They found the twins sprawled on the bed, Steel sleeping in between them. Eli's spikey hair was finally starting to droop, sagging as he tossed and turned in his sleep. Gabe was snuggled close to Steel, holding onto the large iron-grey wolf like a teddy bear.

Ivy and Eddie approached the bed, deciding what to do with the boys. Ivy finally came up with a solution, ordering her babies to create a bed next to the actual bed. Carefully, Eddie lifted Eli off of the bed. Why he had volunteered to do so was beyond him, as Edward Nygma wasn't exactly a weight lifter. Oh so gently, he eased the sleeping nine year old onto the bed of flowers and vines. Content, Ivy lifted Gabe and moved him into the new bed.

Now came the hard part. How were they going to move a sleeping 120 pound wolf without getting shredded? Turns out they didn't have to. Steel awoke, his amber eyes glaring sharply at the villains on either side of his bed. They didn't hear what he muttered in his head as the large wolf bounded off of the bed and leapt into the bed with his human companions.

"Well that was easier than expected."

"You can say that again Nygma."

Eddie turned, retracing his steps through the maze of vines. Ivy's voice floated on the air behind him. "Where are you going?"

"You take the bed. I'll sleep on the futon."

"Well, that's courteous for you Edward."

"I'd normally take the bed, but it's your house and I don't want to end up dead."

With that, Eddie stepped back into the hallway, going down towards the living room where Sunni was currently sleeping on the couch. He smiled as he observed Harley sleeping with Camden, Jaylon, and Fang. The bed was overfilled, but its occupants didn't care. Looking at the clown clock on the nightstand, Nygma realized that it was almost midnight. He shuffled off towards the living room, grabbing a blanket from the floor and flopping down on the couch. He was too tired to care about pulling out the futon. His arm throbbed horribly and he had just had the most reeling experience of his life.

Needless to say, Edward Nygma fell asleep as soon as his head hit the couch pillows.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Eddie awoke the next morning, the smell of food assaulting his nostrils. He sat up on the couch, wincing as his arm throbbed painfully and his back popped. This was the disadvantage to sleeping on a leather sofa all night; it made you hurt like hell everywhere. Rubbing his eyes, Edward stretched sleepily and looked to see if Sunni was still asleep. Surprisingly, she was gone.

Sliding off of the couch, Eddie went into the kitchen, where a surprising sight met him. Sunni was standing at the stove, making breakfast for all of them. She was dressed in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, bright red, gold and white paint covering her face. The boys were sitting at the kitchen table, likewise dressed in jerseys and covered in face paint. The curious thing was, half of them were dressed like Sunni, and the other half were painted in the colors of the Denver Broncos. It was a strange sight to say the least, but Eddie was too pre-occupied with his stomach to complain.

"Hey, what's cooking?"

Sunni turned to him, smiling through the hard paint on her face. "French toast, bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage and milk. Any special requests?"

Eddie shook his head, settling for drooling over the smorgasbord of food that was sitting on plates next to where Sunni was cooking. Shaking his head, Edward asked the question that he was dying to ask since he saw the war paint. "Okay, what's up with the war paint and jersey's?"

Eli stared at him as if he was crazy, his spikey blond hair painted a fire-engine red. "It's Sunday, dude. Meaning Sunday football baby!"

The other boys whooped, pounding on the table and howling. The babies, who sat in highchairs, were even excited, they themselves painted in the colors of the two opposing teams. Miles, Jasper, Jaylon and Gabe were painted in the colors of the Broncos while Sunni, Eli, Camden, Hayden, and Howard were all decked out in Chief's garb. Eddie chuckled to himself. These kids could be sobbing one minute, and then be excited over the stupidest things the next.

"Alright. So today's football day. I get that now, but where's Ivy and Harley."

Sunni shrugged from her position behind the stove. "They're still asleep I guess. I don't know. I have enough on my hands with these eight yahoos. I'm not about to watch over your girlfriends."

Eddie blushed. "They're not my girlfriends!"

Gabe snorted, shaking his head and making his bright orange sway. "Keep telling yourself that. Sunni's not the only one who can read you like a book, dude."

"Okay. Let's get some rules straight. I'm the adult here, so no back sassing, no lip, no ignoring me, and NO CALLING ME DUDE!"

Both the twins snickered now, speaking sarcastically in unison. "Like we're going to take orders from a man with a pimp cane."

"IT IS NOT A PIMP CANE!"

With that, Eddie started to walk out of the kitchen door, only to find himself confronted with all three wolves. Fang was at the point of the wedge shaped formation, his teeth blindingly white as he growled at the man in front of him. Steel and Snow walked side by side, mimicking their alpha's appearances. They made Edward back into the kitchen, his eyes wide with terror.

"Now, don't growl at me that way. Down. Back. Sit. Stay?"

Sunni chuckled at the Riddler's attempts to keep the wolves away from him. **Alright guys that's enough.**

Steel spoke in Sunni's mind, his voice laced with hatred. **Are you sure? I could finish what I started last night. It would be my pleasure.**

Fang agreed heartily, while Snow was somewhat reluctant, although she was doing a fantastic job at keeping a vicious looking face up. **No guys really that's enough.**

Steel snarled at Eddie.** But I don't like him!**

**I said that's ENOUGH!**

With that, the wolves retracted, bouncing off to lay next to the boys' feet. Eddie sighed a breath of relief, taking off out of the kitchen door to go find Harley and Ivy. He found them quick enough, it was the waking them up part that was going to be the hard part.

Harley was sprawled on the twin sized bed, snoring to beat the band and cuddling with her Real Villains plushy of The Joker. Edward made a face and pretended like he was vomiting. He hated the Joker. The man made his skin crawl. How could a girl as sweet as Harley end up with an imbecilic maniac like that?

Shrugging off his thoughts, Eddie walked up to Harley's side and shook her gently. "Come on, Harl. You've gotta get up."

Harley groaned. "Not now Mistah' J. Harleyquins needs to sleep."

Annoyed, Eddie renewed his shaking and raised his voice slightly. "Harleen, I'm not Joker. Now you need to get up or you're going to miss breakfast."

That seemed to do the trick, as Harley's eyes shot open and she leapt out of bed. Frantically looking in the closet Ivy gave her to use for a spare change of clothes, Harley squealed, "Why didn't ya say somethin' earlier ya big lug?"

Sighing, the man strode out of the room to get Ivy. Just another moment of unappreciation suffered by Edward Nygma. Ever so carefully, Eddie picked his way through vines on bare feet, trying to get to the bed. There Ivy lay, her bright red hair laying in a thin curtain over her face. The sight almost took Eddie's breath away. The green temptress was even more stunning when she was relaxed and asleep.

Leaning down, Edward brushed some of the hair off of Ivy's face. "Come on Ivy. Get up. Breakfast's almost ready."

Ivy wasn't like Harley. She didn't groan and turn away. She didn't make a face and strike out. Ivy simply lay there as if nothing had been said to her at all. Eddie tried to get her up once more. Again, there was no response. Now thoroughly annoyed, Edward shook Ivy hard, speaking in a louder voice.

"Ivy! Get up!"

Ivy didn't stir. Groaning, Eddie sat down on the bed next to her. He scanned her for a moment before realizing something; she had an almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Angrily, Edward slapped her on the knee cap and said, "I know you're playing possum Ivy."

Poisonous green eyes opened to scan Eddie as Ivy sat up in bed. "How did you know?"

"My perceptive eyes noticed the smile on your face."

Rolling her eyes, Ivy got out of bed, Edward following behind her. "You mentioned breakfast. I really hope Harley didn't cook."

Eddie chuckled. "No, actually, she didn't. Sunni cooked and it smells so incredibly good."

Walzing into the living room, Ivy's mouth started to water at the pleasant aromas coming from the kitchen. "You can say that again."

Ivy and Eddie went into the kitchen, the war-painted children gathered around the table and happily with Harley. The harlequin grinned and waved at the two. "G'mornin' Riddles! Red!"

Blinking, the plant villainess, stared at the brightly dressed children. Edward leaned in close and whispered, "It's Sunday, Ivy. Football."

Shrugging, Ivy went over to the table and sat down. Sunni had just finished cooking and was placing all the food onto large platters. Turning her head, Sunni looked over her shoulder at Eli. "Hey Speedster, do ya think ya could give me a hand?"

Leaping up and moving at speeds that would make the Flash green with envy, Eli rushed over to his sister and lifted three platters off of the counter. Moving with equal parts grace and speed, Eli went back to the table and placed them in the center. Sunni carried the rest of them over to the rest of the crowd, smiling at her brother's talent. "Thanks."

"No big."

Sunni sat down with them, clapping her hands together and shouting, "Alright everybody! Let's eat and then we'll watch football!"

With that, they all started to wolf down the food, devouring it in less time than it took for them to put on their make-up. Harley and Eli got into a fierce competition over who could eat more food in the time before the game. It was a close match, with Harley actually winning by only half a piece of french toast. The others congradulated her heartily, as no one had ever beaten Eli in an eating contest before. The boys discussed the upcoming game with much enthusiasm to Harley and Ivy, describing it and their favorite teams in great detail.

Soon, they were finished with breakfast, leaving Sunni to wash the dishes. Gabe helped her, even though they were on opposing sides for that particular game. They worked happily, much to Ivy and Eddie's surprise.

"Hey Sunni, can we decorate the wolves?"

Sunni hesitated, passing a wary glance to her brother next to her. "What for?"

"Because I want more Broncos than Chiefs."

"Okay let's make a deal. How about you get Snow and Steel and I'll take Fang."

"Deal."

With that, they shook hands, sealing the deal just as they finished the dishes. Sunni called out to the wolves in her mind, telling them exactly what was going on and what the boys were going to be doing. Snow wagged her tail, panting happily and trotting up to Gabe.

**As long as they don't hurt me severely, I'll be happy to be a part of their team.**

Steel chuckled. **Little one, you're always happy. As long as you've got a beating heart, it will always have room for one more packmate to love.**

Fang inclined his head, looking on his slightly younger counterpart with respect. **Wise words Steel. I've never heard something quite that poetic leave your lips.**

**That's because I've never had the inclination to say such things before. I prefer fighting over poetry.**

Sunni shook her head and watched as the boys lead the wolves back into the living room. Fang sat patiently next to her as Sunni placed paint and feather's on the table. Taking her fingers, Sunni made a war paint design that was both beautiful and mysterious across the midnight black fur of her friend. Feathers were tied into his pelt just behind his ears and his amber eyes were lined with gold to give them a more indian feel.

Ivy popped into the room just as Sunni finished, raising an eyebrow at the painted wolf before her. "Are you sure he doesn't mind?"

"It's alright. I asked him if I could put war paint on him before I actually put it on. He said it was alright."

Ivy shrugged. "Whatever kid. The games on. I thought you might want..."

The plant villainess didn't even get to finish her sentence as Sunni blew past her into the next room. Ivy grabbed herself a bottle of water from the refridgerator and went back into the living room, where the kids, Harley and Eddie all sat on the couch enthralled in the football game. The boys had managed to get Edward on the side of the Broncos, while Harley was now painted with the colors of the Cheifs. The wolves were sitting with their appropriated teams, growling at the screen everytime they disagreed with a call or a play.

Ivy sat with Hayden on her lap, playing with the little boy even though he was also watching the game with unnerving interest. Despite herself, Ivy found herself watching the ridiculous sport, actually enjoying the game immensely. By half time, the Cheifs were beating the Broncos badly, the score being 24 to 0.

Sunni was laughing her head off at the irate expression on Gabe's face, making her younger brother mad. "How come you're laughing at me?"

"You should see the look on your face!"

Gabe grumbled, muttering something about getting snacks and soda. Jaylon followed him, his deep navy blue head bobbing behind the bright one of his brother. Sunni gestured to Eli, motioning him to follow the others and bring her snacks. Howard was sitting with Harley, playing with the older woman's blond pigtails and watching as she made faces for his amusement. His normally platinum blond hair was now sprayed with streaks of white and gold, the little boy's face almost completely red with face paint.

Ivy was playing with Hayden, Eddie sitting next to her with Miles. The man known as the Riddler was actually bouncing Miles on his knee and watching as the game came back on for the second half. He called out to the boys and they returned quickly, Coke and Mountain Dew in abundance with Cheetos and Lays of all kinds. They flopped on the floor, passing the food and drinks around as the game got back under way.

_Two hours later..._

"Go,go,go,go,go,go,go,GOOOOOOOO! YES! TOUCHDOWN FOR THE CHEIFS BABY!"

The final buzzer ending the game sounded, and the children rooting for Kansas City, including Harley, were dancing a little victory dance, Fang bouncing right along with them. Ivy laughed and smiled as she watched Harley dance with the little ones, spinning Jaylon and Camden in her arms while Howard was rested in Sunni's arms. Hayden was laughing and clapping in her arms, happy as he could be.

The Broncos were good sports, laughing along with their brothers and sister as they cleaned up the mess they had made. It was almost five o' clock, and when Sunni and the others finally decided to stop dancing, she called over the chaos. "Alright everybody. Game time's over so we need to take showers and baths."

Eli and Gabe nodded, noting their sweaty appearance and running make-up. Ivy frowned. "How are we all going to take hot showers without running out of hot water?"

"Easy. I devised a system at the old house. The oldest go first, in this case, you guys. Sorry but you, me, and the twins only get five minute showers. The boys take baths together to conserve water and I usually just bathe the babies in the sink."

Thinking for a moment, Eddie came to the conclusion that this just wasn't fair. He didn't have any spare clothes besides his Riddler costume, and he really didn't want to have to wear Ivy's clothes. "Um Ivy? I don't have any spare clothes."

Eli waved a hand. "It's alright. I think we've got a coupla' pair of Dad's old pj's in the car. He used to sleep out there when he made Mom mad. You can wear them."

Harley wave her hand high in the air. "I call dibs on the first shower!"

Glaring at her best friend, Ivy sat Hayden on the couch and stood. "I want to take the first shower Harl."

"Tough cookies Red!" Harley stuck her tongue out at Ivy and turned, flouncing down the hallway.

Ivy's face flushed an angry forest green. The others backed away from her, the twins whispering to each other in unison, "Alright! Chick fight!"

Gabe turned to his brother. "You know, I had a dream about this once only Ivy and Harley were mud wrestling in bikini's."

"Get back here Harl! I'm not finished with you!"

Ivy pounced on her friend tackling her to the floor and taking off for the shower before Harley had time to react. The bubbly blond watched from the floor as her best friend's backside disappeared into the bathroom off the hall.

"Woah. Did not see that comin'."

Eddie strode up to Harley and picked her up off the floor. "I did. Ivy always wins Harleyquins. Remember that." He turned to the others. "That goes for you too!"

Jaylon snorted, the usually polite boy snickering as his brother whispered something in his ear to say. "Whatever Pimp Cane."

"IT IS NOT A PIMP CANE!"


	9. Chapter 9

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

By Wednesday, the rather unorthodox family had formed a regular pattern and routine. Eddie and Harley had by now been dubbed, "Aunty Harley" and "Uncle Ed", and were now the unofficial babysitters of the household. They watched the older boys most of the times, Harley demonstrating her acrobatic skills and Edward actually using his intellect to create puzzles for the older boys to solve. Ivy was actually getting closer to the little boys around her, finding herself laughing and becoming attached to the little ones.

The Riddler found himslef marveling at how much Ivy was changing in the short amount of time she had been with the kids. She was so much calmer, not snapping at every little thing Harley did. The plants in the house were also no longer the focus of her life, and she was smiling more and more around the little ones. It was a good change, one that Eddie was happy to see.

They had finally solved the sleeping problems, with the twins sleeping on the futon in the living room, Harley sleeping in her room with Jaylon and Camden, and Edward sleeping in the nursery with Jasper. Sunni was the only one constantly moving around, sleeping in one room one night and in another the next. That was just the animal in Sunni that made her roam.

Ivy had asked questions about how they had gotten there, only to find that Sunni was just as devious as the rest of the supervillains. Speaking of Sunni, Harley had become curious about something. Bouncing Howard gently on her hip, Harley had asked a rather innocent question that made the fourteen year old slightly nervous. She was giving Snow a much needed bath after the unfortunate wolf had gotten into a pile of Ivy's fertilizer.

"Hey Sunni! How'd ya get ta Red's house anyway?"

The girl shrugged, not turning away from where she was giving Snow a bath. "I drove of course."

"How'd ya learn to drive?"

At this, Sunni blushed slightly, muttering her answer to where it was just barely audible. "Joyrides."

"You took joyrides? I thought you were some sort of goody goody genius!"

Sunni snorted. "Genius, not goody-goody. My genius brain powers are what kept me from getting caught. I even had a radio name; Bandit."

Harley frowned, cocking her head as Howard played with her pigtails. "Hey, in't that offa _Eastbound and Down_?"

Lifting Snow out of the tub and beginning to dry her, Sunni nodded. "Yeah, but it's gotta nice ring to it. And it described my driving style pretty well." A sudden flash of something crossed Sunni's face and she started to dry Snow even faster. Confusion etched itself on the face of the harlequin and she skipped up to her younger roomate.

"What is it? Come on, I won't tell!"

Sunni sighed, releasing Snow from her bear hug and told the small wolf to go find Ivy. "It's just that I miss my Baby."

"What'd ya mean?"

"Dad had a Trans-Am that he fixed up to look like the one in _Eastbound and Down_. It was my favorite to drive. I even got into a car chase with the cops once. Just don't tell Ivy I've ever done something like that or her head'll explode."

Harley pretended that she was zipping her lips, throwing away the hypothetical key. Howard laughed in her arms, looking over her shoulder as Eddie came in the door. He looked slightly worried, a trait that wasn't common for the rather arrogant man. He was wringing his hands slightly, his honey-colored eyes darting around. "Hey, have either of you seen Ivy and Hayden?"

Sunni nodded, gesturing with her head. "Yeah, she went out to the greenhouse."

"Thanks Sunshine."

Sunni frowned. "Don't call me that."

Eddie strode out the door, calling back over his shoulder, "I won't call you that if you don't call me Pimp Cane!"

Chuckling, the riddling genius walked through the living room, his eyes coming to rest on the boys watching a movie on the television. Eli was lounging on the couch, his hair perfectly spiked again as he watched Jaylon, Camden, and Jasper wrestle on the floor. Gabe sat on the floor, a damp Snow by his side and Fang sleeping next to his feet. Miles was sitting alone on the armchair, laughing happily as his older brothers played on the floor in front of him.

Edward frowned slightly. "Be careful guys."

"Okay Uncle Ed."

Eddie chuckled again. Leaning down, he lifted Miles from the armchair and placed him in the crook of his right arm. The left one was healing quite nicely, but it was still rather tender, so why take a chance at opening the wound again? "Come on Miles. Let's go find Ivy."

Much more gracefully than was characteristic for him, Edward floated through the kitchen and into the greenhouse. Fragrant perfumes from the vegetation around him filled the greenhouse air, and Miles laughed at the colorful blossoms that extended towards them. Mel growled happily in the center of the greenhouse, his vines slithering across the ground to carress the flesh on Eddie's arm. Yet above all the other scents, Edward caught the very distinct scent of mandarin oranges; the scent Ivy gave off when she was happy.

Following his nose, Eddie found Ivy and Hayden in a bed of roses, their bright auburn hair shining like a beacon amongst the flowers. Ivy was smiling, her thin elegant fingers tickling the small boy on the belly. Eddie smiled, carefully walking up behind her. His feet didn't make a sound as he stepped around the blossoms to stand behind Ivy.

"May we join you?"

Ivy started, looking over her shoulder and holding onto Hayden reflexively. Noticing it was Edward, she finally relaxed and smiled, sliding over to allow room for him and Miles to sit. Eddie lowered himself onto the spot, Miles cradled carefully in his legs as he sat there. Grinning cheekily, Eddie looked over at the green temptress beside him.

"You two seem to be having fun. May I ask why you decided to disappear all by yourself and nearly give me a heart-attack?"

Ivy sighed, a seemingly non-existent breeze blowing her hair, and closed her eyes. "I needed to get some peaceful time. This is one of the best places for that."

Looking around, Eddie nodded in agreement. "It's gorgeous."

The pair just sat there silently, staring out at the flowers before them. Hayden and Miles soon became sleepy, falling asleep in the laps of their caretakers. Eddie didn't really mind the weight in his lap, he just enjoyed the fact that he, the nerd, was in pleasant company with the hottest woman in all of Gotham City. Well, she was hottest in Eddie's opinion at least.

Suddenly, Ivy leaned her head against his shoulder, her red hair like silk against the exposed skin of his neck. Edward Nygma, Master of Riddles, and enemy to the Batman, blushed fiercely. His face was a bright scarlet color, but thankfully the intoxicating woman leaning against him didn't notice.

Her quiet voice floated up to his ears, whispering so she wouldn't wake up the little ones from their late nap. "Do you think we're doing the right thing, Nygma?"

Eddie frowned, gently shifting Miles into a more comfortable position. He was sitting cross legged, so it wasn't hard to find a position that he didn't have to hold the twelve month old. "What do you mean Ivy?"

"I mean _this_." She gestured to the little boys sleeping on their laps. "What are we going to do when we have to go back and steal things for money? If we get caught, what are they going to do? I've done some horrible things in the past, Ed. All for the sake of my babies. But these babies need me too. What am I going to do?"

The scent of jasmine blossoms radiated off of Ivy now; the scent she secreted when she was upset. Despite her best efforts to be strong, tears were still building in Ivy's eyes, and Eddie knew it. Eddie wasn't the emotional, comforting type. He doubted that he'd ever truly given a proper hug to anyone in his entire life. But now he did something that shocked him and Ivy both beyond belief. He hugged her, gently pressing her against his side with a one armed grasp.

Ivy leaned into his side even more, tears streaming down her face despite herself. Edward simply sat there, stroking her arm gently with his thumb. "It'll be alright Ivy. These kids lived all on their own for quite some time. I'm sure that if any of us get caught, they'll make it through. I mean, Sunni's got three pet wolves for crying out loud! I have the gash to prove that Steel will do anything for her."

Laughing quietly, Ivy tilted her head so that it rested more snuggly into the crook of Eddie's neck. Nygma didn't move, but he was curious so he asked, "Why are leaning on me and letting me do this?"

A shrug. "You make a good pillow. That, and you're a better listener than Harley is."

Eddie chuckled. "Don't you think we should probably go back and check on the others?"

Ivy pouted at him. "Can we just stay here? I'm comfy."

"Ivy."

"Oh alright."

With careful maneuvering, they both got the sleeping boys lifted into their arms and exited the greenhouse. They found Steel sleeping in the laundry room right off of the greenhouse, but the others were still watching television in the living room, Harley and Sunni watching over them like hawks. Granted, they were very relaxed hawks, but they were watching none the less.

Ivy and Eddie took the boys into the bedroom to finish out the remainder of their nap. Returning to the living room, they sat on the couch together, Ivy actually curling up under Eddie's arm. Sunni and Harley stared in amazement at the two, saying nothing, but looking much like fish out of water.

Camden noticed it too, but instead of gawking, he chose to get up snuggle underneath Ivy's open arm. The plant villainess didn't object to the motion. She stayed curled underneath Eddie's arm, stroking Camden's head as he pressed into her side.

Eli looked up from where he had fallen off of the couch, his blue eyes and spikey blond hair contrasting with the darker carpet. "Okay that's just weird."

Sunni and Harley raised their hands. "We second that statement."

Eddie stuck his tongue out. "You're just jealous because she likes the nerd more than you guys."

Ivy rolled her eyes, smiling. "Edward be nice."

"Alright. But if they call me Pimp Cane one more time, the gloves are coming off."

Ivy chuckled lightly, continuing to run her fingers through Camden's thick brown hair. Snow and Fang came and curled up at her feet, speaking to their packmate unbeknownst to her.

**Sunni, I think these people are really starting to warm up to you guys.**

**I think so too Fang.**

Snow wagged her tail, amber eyes bright and cheerful. **I like Harley. She's the best ear-scratcher ever! That, and she makes a good bed warmer.**

**Snow, you are the most easy to please pup I've ever seen.**

**I'll take that as a complement Fang.**

Sunni sighed in her head. **Guys, I really wish Steel would warm up to them like you have. He's so distant nowadays. Maybe if one of them did something nice for him...**

**It wouldn't work. **Fang's voice had cut in, silencing the fourteen year old completely.

She looked over at Ivy, Eddie, and Camden. **Well, at least I know Ed's doin' alright on his quest to make Ivy his. **

**They do make a rather attractive couple.**

**What are you? Alpha male or matchmaker?**

Fang winced slightly at the comment, but continued on unflichingly_**. **_**I'm no expert, but you have to admit, they look good together.**

Snow agreed heartily and Sunni sighed. She really needed a joyride.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Friday came, and Ivy was planning to rob a bank with Harley. Eddie whined, completely convinced that Steel had a death wish for him and that he should be going instead of Harley. The harlequin had glared at her friend, but said nothing in reguards to why she was going instead of him. The boys, especially Eli and Gabe, were unhappy with the whole ordeal, as they felt that they would be missing out on all the fun of a hiest.

Harley had beaten the sentiment that the cops were bad into the brains of the younger boys. Although, the lesson hadn't really stuck all that well with Sunni and the twins...

_Friday, November 31st: 12:00 p.m_

"Ivy! Come on! Don't leave me here with them! They'll kill me and feed me to the pack!"

Eddie was sitting on the sofa, most all of the children piled atop him. Jasper sat on his shoulders, chubby legs wrapped around his neck. Jaylon and Camden flanked him on either side, with Miles and Hayden sitting on the Riddler's lap. The poor man looked like he was about to be suffocated by toddlers, his red hair loose and hanging all around his face.

Ivy, now dressed in her leotard and stockings, rolled her eyes. "They will not Eddie! You're exagerating again."

Harley stood beside her best friend, smiling cheerfully in her jester's jumpsuit. The tassels on her headress replaced the normally bouncing pigtails and a coat of white greasepaint covered her face, but the clown's blue eyes still twinkled with that friendly light. "Yeah Eddie! I'm sure that the boys'll behave just fine for ya."

Jaylon hopped up, running over to hug Harley and Ivy. "We'll be alright." He pulled away and, with a completely serious face, said, "Get out there and go get some money."

Harley about fell over with laughter, even though Ivy didn't find it the least bit funny. The plant villainess pulled her friend out of the door, auburn hair shining in the afternoon light. Unbeknownst to Eddie and the others, Sunni and the pack had been watching the whole exchange without interest.

Eli turned to her, purple and black spiking the tips of his blond hair. "So, when are we goin' to go back and get the cars?"

Gabe nodded in agreement with his twin, blue eyes shining even in the bright light of the kitchen. Sunni pondered the question for a moment, her eyes sparkling with amber. "In about thirty minutes. We'll take the pack, say that we need to give them a walk. It won't take much of a poker face to fool Eddie."

The twins looked at each other, nodding in agreement. Eddie wasn't the genius he normally was when faced with taking care of eight boys. Even if it was for a short time only, the prospect still made Edward Nygma pull his hair out.

Speaking of pulling hair out...

"AHHHH!"

Sunni whipped around, sliding into a defensive stance as she gazed into the living room. But she soon relaxed and started to laugh at the ridiculous scene before her. Eddie was sitting on the couch, Jasper clutching a handful of his hair in his pudgy fist.

"SUNNI! GET IN HERE AND PULL YOUR THREE YEAR OLD OFF OF ME!"

The aforementioned fourteen-year-old jerked her head at Eli, who rushed off to pull Jasper off of Eddie. Gabe chuckled lightly, his slightly-emo styled hair waving. Steel and Snow trotted into the kitchen, tails wagging lightly.

Steel chuckled, the sound coming out as a rasping wheeze. **I certainly like Jasper now.**

Snow gave a sneeze of disapproval. **Steel, be nice. Eddie's actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him. **

**Oh and I suppose you know this because he scratched you behind the ears?**

Snow's ears drooped, the small white wolf walking dejectedly towards Sunni. The teen gave Steel Ivy's patented look of extreme disapproval, which made the laughing grey would look at her with slight apprehension.

**Don't laugh at her just because you don't like one of her friends. Now, where's Fang?**

**He's sleeping the Ivy's room. **

Sunni nodded, striding into the living room to check on the others. Eddie was alright. His pride was wounded and his head was sore, but he was otherwise unharmed. Eli was holding Jasper up, the three year old pouting mightily. The others had calmed down and were spread on the floor, watching _Invader Zim _on T.V. Sunni continued on down the hall, tiptoeing quietly past the room where Howard was sleeping.

Just as Steel had said, Fang was curled up on the bed, snoring soundly. The scars on his muzzle were white and prominent, the bright flash of his fangs shining in the light of the bedroom. Sunni snickered, sneaking up on the sleeping alpha wolf. She waited until she was right next to the bed, grinning as she screamed out loud, "RISE AND SHINE FANG!"

The wolf leapt up, snarling fiercely. His amber eyes locked onto Sunni as she laughed, the depths of them showing the great black wolf's displeasure. **What the hell was that for!**

**Come on we've got to leave. **

**Why?**

**So me and the twins can grab the cars from the old house. It shouldn't take too long to get there on foot. Ivy and Harl took the Escalade so that's the only way we're goin' to get back to the mansion.**

Fang growled, stretching and leaping lightly off of the bed to stand beside Sunni. He grumbled a little, but the alpha wolf strode beside his human packmate anyways. The pair went back into the living room, taking in what Eddie and the others were doing carefully.

Edward was laying on the couch, snoring gently with Jasper laying on his chest doing the exact same thing. Jaylon and Camden were also asleep, as they had woken up several times the night before. Hayden was lying on the floor next to Jaylon, curled protectively in the crook of his older brother's arm. Sunni smiled at the twins, dressed in black and ready to go. Eli was literally buzzing, hopping from one foot to the other at supersonic speeds. Gabe was standing calmly, dressed in a plain t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.

"You two ready?"

A manic grin split Eli's face. "Oh yeah!"

_First Bank of Gotham: 1:00 p.m._

Poison Ivy floated confidently through the crowds of cowering buisnessmen and women, vines and plants sprouting all around her. This was it; Ivy's element. It was chaos and beauty, with murder and destruction mixed within. Plants flowered and bloomed all around the bank, binding and silencing the patrons and tellers within the lobby. Harley was bouncing around, carrying armfuls of cash with her normal perky smile.

In yet, something was off. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of Ivy's stomach. It balled and knotted and twisted her insides, making her want to scream out in frustration. Of course, Ivy hid it all under a sarcastic mask and cool smile. It wouldn't do to have her hostages sensing any sort of weaknesses in their favorite plant goddess. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling. No matter how much money Harley waved in her face, Ivy just couldn't get into the spirit of the heist.

"Okey Dokey Red! The cars all filled up, so let's scram before Batsy shows up!"

The auburn haired villainess nodded absently and looked back on the trapped patrons of the bank. Shaking her head viciously, Ivy ran out to the car with Harley, leaping into the driver's seat before the blond could. Harley might be her best friend, but Ivy wasn't about to trust her driving skills any time soon.

Suddenly, just as Ivy was about to pull out, a black Trans-Am, a Jaguar, and a Dodge Charger with a General Lee paint job shot past her, nearly broad-siding the Escalade.

"Hey! What the hell do those idiots think their doin'?" Harley was outraged, but Ivy was absolutely livid. People said they were crazy when maniacs like that were loose on the streets? Even though her foot itched to slam on the gas pedal, Ivy restrained herself. She had to get home and make sure that Eddie hadn't been devoured by wolves. Her fingers still clenched and un-clenched on the wheel as she pulled out, clearly displaying her irritation.

Harley smiled anyway, blue eyes sparkling. "Come on Red! What do you want to bet that the cops are on those ding-dongs' tails any minute now?"

Ivy snickered nastily. "Sooner than those idiots think they will be."

_Twenty minutes previous...Home of the late James Anthony Amyx_

Sunni, Eli, Gabe, and the pack snuck into the garage, looking at the dusty cars that still sat within it. The various vehicles may have had a thin coating of grime, but they still shone in the low light, highlighting their sleek beauty. The Jaguar sat their, purple with black racing stripes shimmering in the sight of the children. Incidently, they were the same shades of color that now were sprayed into Eli's hair.

Gabe smiled as he ran his hand over the Trans-Am. It was his favorite, reminding him of the old _Smokey and the Bandit _movie. The shining black paint tore through the matte color of the dust, adding a new dimension to the highlights in the air. What caught Sunni's eye was the General Lee. A perfect replica, the Dodge Charger brought back the memories of all the joyrides she had indulged in. That was how she had learned to drive, speeding through the streets of Gotham under the code name of Bandit. That was simpler time, one that resurfaced memories Sunni would rather forget.

Shaking her head, Sunni clapped her hands and shouted, "Boys! Start your engines!"

Eli grinned, ripping open the door of the Jaguar and hopping into the driver's seat. The idiot cops had left the keys to all of the vehicles on the key rack, so it was a simple task to grab the proper keys. Steel hopped into the car with him, perching his large grey rump on the passenger seat. Sunni had Fang with her in the General and Gabe was in the Trans-Am, so Eli jammed the key into the ignition and fired her up.

The roar of the motors was like a fine music to their ears, sweeter than any type of pop music you could get on the radio. Sunni smiled, cranking up the stereo and blasting _Avenged Sevenfold _out into the afternoon air. The radio screamed the metal, blasting Fang's ear drums, but soothing Sunni's soul.

Slamming on the gas pedal, Sunni and the boys squalled into the streets of Gotham, passing cars left and right. The fourteen year old laughed her head off, calling out to her brothers over the car radio.

"Hey this is Bandit calling out to the Speedster and Smokey. What is your status?"

Eli's voice replied her, rough and older-sounding over the heavy rock. "We're doin' just fine my Bandit buddy. You better watch yourself though. We've got the Plant Lady and the Harlequin comin' up on our right."

Sunni looked at the road, swerving to barely avoic the Escalade as it pulled out of First Bank of Gotham. Her heart nearly leapt into her throat, panic causing her to revert to her animal instincts. The teen growled ferally, barking orders into the radio. "We've gotta get back before they do! Smokey, what's our ETA?"

Gabe came in, calling out that they had twenty minutes to get home before Ivy and Harley could beat them. Eyes glowing, Sunni snickered, growling fiercely, "Let see if we can do it in fifteen."

The trio of cars sweeped through the streets, making dangerous corners and swerves throughout the city. Barely avoiding cars, trucks, and pedestrians, the kids made their way home. Their stunt-like driving brought them the attention of the media, the news-crews lining up on the sidewalks to get a load of the new threat to their lives. The cops, being too slow to catch them, were far behind the group. They were trying to rely on tips to cut them off, but they always took an unexpected turn somewhere and set them off on another wild goose chase.

Sunni had never felt more alive. Her eyes glowed, Fang growling with some sort of perverse pleasure next to her. This chase was a kind of heaven that the teen hadn't felt in a long time. The next news crew was just around the corner, and Sunni got a bright idea. She called out over the radio, ordering the boys to roll down their passenger windows. Mentally, she called out to the pack.

**Come on guys. I want you to howl at the reporters. Howl and snarl like you've never done before!**

And they did just that. As they passed, the pack stuck their heads out. Their voices raised into a cacophony of angry snarls and howls, sending the reporters scurrying away in terror. Sunni cackled at the pathetic weakness of their city's media.

Soon, they had lost all of the media, leaving them to go home as they pleased. They sped towards the greenhouse, roaring into the driveway with almost five minutes to spare. Quickly, they pushed the cars into the shed just off the building, covering them with tarps and sealing the doors behind. Running with all their might, the kids made it into the house, finding everyone still asleep.

Sighing with relief, Sunni flopped onto the floor next to Camden. The pack curled up around her, falling asleep almost as soon as they dropped. Seeing this, the twins decided to follow suit and lay down next to her, using Snow and Steel as pillows.

"That was fun."

The sentence was simple, but it summed up everything that had happened in the span of thirty minutes perfectly. Not that it did any good. No one was awake to hear it. Sunni soon drifted of into oblivion with them, dreaming of street races and car chases.

_Harley and Ivy's Arrival: 2:00 p.m._

Ivy leapt out of the Escalade, lightly prancing in the door. Harley was still in the back with the money, playing with the piles of green paper. She thought that the harlequin should quit being so silly, but none of Ivy's opinions mattered where Harley's fun was concerned.

Entering the building, Ivy was confronted with a sight that melted her heart. They were all asleep. Every single person in that building was asleep, including the wolves. What really impressed Ivy was that Edward was in the center of it all, snuggled up with Jasper, Miles, and Hayden. His red hair was tousled and sweaty, but she could see how his thin arms were draped protectively over the little boys atop him.

Ivy didn't know how long she stood there, but when Harley came up behind her and squealed, the magic of the moment was lost. "Aren't they so adorable Red?"

A smile. "Yeah. They are Harl."

Silently, the women lifted the boys and placed them in bed, allowing them to finish the remainder of their naps in comfort. They left Sunni, the twins, and the wolves, preferring to keep all of their limbs intact. Harley smiled at Ivy, whispering that she was going to go take a shower and wash all the gunk off of her.

"Go on ahead Harl. I think I'll just stay here and watch T.V."

With that, the blond skipped down the hall, pulling off her tousled headress as she went. Ivy shook her head, smiling at her best friend. She really _was_ a harlequin. Her gaze went back to Eddie as he slept. Watching him sleep made Ivy realize how incredibly tired she was. Ever so carefully, the plant villainess leapt up onto the couch, lying down in the space between Eddie and the back cushion. The man she had always known as Riddler or Nygma smiled in his sleep, shifting to a more comfortable position with his arm wrapped around Ivy's shoulders.

Now smiling herself, Ivy drifted off to sleep, knowing that this was what it was like to have an actual family.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Monday, December 3rd_

Eddie awoke on the futon, Jasper curled under his arm. The kid might have super strength that would rival Superman's, but he had to admit, Jasper was absolutely adorable when asleep. The incredibly Harley-like blue eyes were closed now, a thumb tucked gently into the small three year old's mouth. The twins had asked to sleep in the nursery the night before, saying that they wanted to sleep in an actual bed for once. Of course, Eddie couldn't say no.

The smell of bacon floated up to Nygma and he stood, sliding carefully out from underneath the small boy beneath him. Walking into the kitchen, he found Sunni cooking their normal breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. The milk and some formula was sitting out on the counter, waiting for the boys and Harl. Ivy always had water, so there was nothing sitting out for her. Jaylon and Camden were already up, munching happily on their single strips of bacon.

Jaylon looked up calmly, his eyes portraying a calm that would rival the best of monk gurus. "Hey Eddie."

Edward smiled, tipping his head towards him. "Good Morning Jaylon. Is anybody else up and moving yet?"

Camden responded before his older brother could speak. "Nope. It's just us, you, and Sunni right now."

Sunni shook her head, blond hair pulled back into a braid, the curls not able to be seen through the tightly woven plait. Her eyes were rimmed with black kohl, making the bright color stand out even more. She was naturally pretty, but the kohl made her look all the more beautiful.

"Could you wake up the others again, Eddie? Breakfast's almost ready and I really don't want to wait for them before I eat."

Nygma nodded, secretly rejoicing that he was going to get to wake Ivy up again. Out the door he went, the swagger that had been almost non-existent the past few days now back into his step. It was a simple matter waking up Jasper, as shaking the toddler into conciousness was the easy part. Now would come the harder contenders in the battle of the morning, sometimes making Edward resort to more extreme methods of waking them up.

First came Harley, waking her with whispers of food and her Puddin'. Out of bed the harlequin bounded, dressing quickly and gently waking the little ones up. Eddie left her alone, smiling as Hayden belched fire towards Harley, making her squeal.

The twins came next. Eli was sprawled half-way across the bed, head leaning off of one side as he crossed his brother's legs. Gabe was frowning in his sleep, wriggling to try and get out from under the other boy. Many different ways to wake the twins up flashed through Eddie's mind, each way more devious and hilariously humiliating than the last. Shaking his head, Nygma settled for shaking awareness into the super-powered blonds. He'd already seen enough of the wrong end of super powers to last him a life-time.

Edward then proceeded into Ivy's room. He was treading with caution, trying not to alert the wolves that slept on the floor to his presence. They had taken to sleeping in the floor of the master bedroom, Sunni translating that they loved the warmer room of the house. Tails and flailing limbs were everywhere and it wouldn't do to have Steel take his anger out on another one of his limbs, especially since the last injury had only just healed. The vines had retreated back to their assumed positions, no longer crowding the floor now that Ivy had a new focus, and for that Eddie was grateful.

Tip-toeing up to Ivy's bed, the Riddler gently extended a hand to wake her up. She was facing away from him, but she was curled in the fetal position and snoring gently so Ed knew that she was still asleep. Gently, he placed the extended hand onto Ivy's shoulder, shaking her. "Come on Ivy. You've got to get up. Breakfast's ready and the kids want to see you."

The green villainess stretched, rolling over to face Eddie. She was still asleep, but a smile was plastered to her face as she cuddled into the side of the only other warm body in the room. The man the was the subject of said snuggling was blushing fiercely, vowing that no one would ever know of this, not even Ivy herself. He shook her again, less delicate with it than the last time. "Get up Ivy. The boys want you at the breakfast table."

Finally, bright venomous green eyes fluttered open, revealing that Ivy was awake. Edward had moved her away from his side, so she wouldn't freak out and try to kill him once she awoke. Bright auburn strands of hair were hanging in her face, but it only served to make Ivy all the more tantalizing. The smell of orchids and jasmine filled the room, signalling that Ivy was perfectly calm and happy. Eddie smiled, standing and extending a graceful hand to help Ivy up.

"Might I assist you my lady?"

Ivy rolled her eyes, but she was smiling all the same. "Nygma, you are such a flirt."

"Ah! But the flirtiness is only determined in the eyes of the beholder, my dear. Remember that."

"Of course Edward. Now, would you mind going? I've still gotta change."

Eddie blushed as he realized that Ivy was only wearing a belly shirt and a pair of panties. Turning quickly, he nearly ran out of the room, much to Ivy's amusement. Dressing in a pair of comfortable sweat pants that she had swiped from Harley, Ivy brushed her hair and strode down the hall, quite happy. The smell of all the food made her realize that she was hungry, but the sight in Harl's room was enough to make her stop in her tracks.

Harley was trying to put Hayden's clothes on him, staring forlornly off into space and drooling slightly. Currently, the harlequin was trying to force a pair of pants over the little boy's head. Sighing, Ivy strode into the bedroom and deftly plucked the pants from Harley's hands. "Harley, go get some food. Tell Eddie to come help me when you get into the kitchen."

The clown girl gave her friend a radiant smile. "Thanks Red!"

Ivy shook her head as Harl ran out the door, turning back to the little red-head on the bed. He was staring up at her, his uniquely green eyes shining. Something in Ivy turned to goo everytime he did that, making her feel completely at peace and happy. Delicate fingers glanced over the little nine month old's skin, tickling the boy as Ivy worked to dress him. Hayden laughed as she put his clothes on, patting her hands with his own chubby digits and making Ivy smile all the wider.

Edward soon came in, helping to get Miles and Howard ready. Their hands brushed a couple of times, making an akward, but not at all displeasurable, sensation run its way up Ivy's spine. Once they were done, Eddie and Ivy made their way towards the kitchen, Ivy cooing to the small baby cradeled in her arms all the way. Edward smiled at her affectionate nature, watching as the natural mother shone through the plant lady's normally hard outer shell.

Breakfast went without a hitch, Ivy and Sunni feeding the little ones their cereal, in Howard's case a bottle, while the others ate their breakfasts. Sunni seemed unusually dead throughout the entire thing, moving methodically like a robot. Harley must have caught the change as well, because the bubbly blond spoke up while washing the dishes.

"What's the matter Sunshine? You seem down this mornin'."

The fourteen year old sighed. "I'm just missing the fun me and the boys used to have at the mall. Hot Topic and the music shop were my favorite hangouts and now I can't go there anymore."

Harley caught Ivy's eye, sparkling azure crystals pleading with her best friend. The red head sighed, dabbing a bit of drool away from Miles' chin. "Why don't you and Harl go to the mall today? It'd be a good way for you to get a bit of girl time in."

Both Sunni and Harley squealed, making Eddie wince from where he was reading the paper. The younger one ran over to Ivy, hugging her fiercely and whispering thank you's in her ear. Just as soon as the hug started, it stopped, Sunni retreating to grab Harley.

"Come on Harl! Let's get ready to ride!"

Ivy chuckled, shaking her head as she lifted Howard from where he sat in the highchair. Eddie lifted an eyebrow from behind his paper, a small smirk forming on the corner's of his lips. He watched as the plant villianess burped the small baby, a small smile on her ruby lips. Ivy was so much happier with the children, it was hard to not notice the transformation. He folded the thin sheets of newspaper neatly, standing and stretching his lithe frame. His dark eyes sparkled with amusement as he lifted Miles up out of the highchair and sat him down on the floor. The twelve month old clung to Eddie's pj pants, keeping his balance while his Riddling babysitter lifted his slightly younger brother from his highchair.

Turning, he caught Ivy's eye and said nonchalantly, "I'm going to take the boys in with the others."

The green temptress nodded, still cradeling Howard in her arms. "Go on ahead. I'll be with Howard in the greenhouse for about twenty minutes then I'll come and join you."

With that, the pair split up, going into separate rooms. Edward's grin widened as he watched the boys play around him. Ivy had formed a rather unique playpen for the little ones out of plants, the vines soft and pliant so they wouldn't hurt the boys, but sturdy enough that they would hold soundly. He held onto Miles with one hand while he cradeled Hayden with the other. Ever so gently, he placed them into the pen, watching them both carefully as he flopped onto the couch with Gabe and Eli.

Turning rather lazily, he said languidly, "Is there anything on?"

Gabe nodded, his silky blond hair swaying gently. "Yep. _NCIS _is on. It's one of the episodes with Kate in it instead of Ziva."

Eli agreed with his twin, his hair now spiked with acid green instead of purple, and combined with his customary black. The effect usually gave Edward the weebies, but he had to admit that Eli pulled the look off quite nicely. Of course, the kid had the perfect looks that would go with any style he chose. "I like Kate, but Ziva is so much better. She kicks some serious butt, and she pulls off combat boots."

Eddie snorted at the boys, finding their rather crude arguement insignificant. He would never say it out loud, but that's what the Riddler's genius mind always percieved shows like this as. Jaylon and Camden were in an arguement over something, the older boy floating just out of his brother's reach. Frowning, Edward called out, "Jaylon get down now."

The six year old turned to him, protest shining in his dark mahogany eyes. "He'll hit me if I come down!"

A glare was fixed on the five year old. "Camden, come here."

Sticking his tongue out at his older brother, Camden sullenly obliged, sitting next to Edward as he wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. Jaylon descended from the ceiling, the slight wave that had developed while he was in flight disappearing. He turned and began to watch the T.V show, signalling that all was well once again. Steel and Fang trotted into the room, the latter of the two leaping lightly up onto the couch to rest with Eddie.

Sunni and Harley soon came flouncing in, all dolled up and dressed to go. Sunni had unwoven her hair, letting the long blond locks fall down her back to her waist. Dark jeans, high heeled boots, and a tight Three Days Grace t-shirt offset the light color of her hair. Harley was grinning from ear to ear, traditional ponytails bouncing cheerfully. Shorts and a light blue t-shirt were all she wore, but the harlequin wore the simple outfit well.

"Ready to go Eddie! Tell Ivy me and Harl are off!"

Eli exploded up, reaching the two in a blink of an eye. "What do you mean you're off?"

Harley leaned down to his level, hugging him slightly before letting go and explaining. "Me and your sister are just gonna have a little girl time together okay? It's nothin' personal."

Skeptical, Eli raised a brow. "Do I get to go with you next time?"

Another bright smile. "A'course ya do sport."

"Good." He turned, waving them off as he leapt back onto the couch. "Have fun guys and try not yourselves killed."

Sunni rolled her eyes at her younger brother. "We will, oh wise brother mine. See ya Ed."

"Bye."

Before they left, Sunni turned to Snow, who had trotted into the room as they had been talking.

**Hey Snow! You wanna come with me and Harl to the mall? The boys said no, but I wanted to ask you anyways.**

**Sure Sunni! It'll be fun! **

**Alrighty then. Let's go.**

Pulling an old leather collar and a rope down from a hook, Sunni slipped them over the white wolf's head. Snow balked at first, but calmed once Sunni explained that she couldn't come with them if she didn't wear it. Catching a glimpse of Harley's questioning look, the fourteen year old explained. "She wants to come with us. I hope that's alright with you?"

Harley nodded, opening the door wide for the girl and her wolf to pass through. Out the door they went, Eddie watching after them with his trademark smug smile. Those girls were going to tear the town down.

_Ivy's Greenhouse; twenty minutes previous_

Ivy entered the greenhouse with Howard, the foliage around her swirling as soon as she stepped onto the soil. Vines slithered towards her, soft tendrils snaking out to stroke their mistress' pale skin. Howard grinned, giggling at the colorful flowers that were on the plants surrounding him. He extended a pudgy hand, a light glow surounding it as he stroked the leaves of a nearby rhodondenron. His eyes were sharp and metallic now, but not at all cold.

Noticing the strange appearance in her youngest charge, Ivy looked at the flower he had touched, only to find that it had doubled in size, looking healthier than ever. It was amazing! Howard could make anything organic regenerate with a touch, a revolution in science that could possibly change the world! Of course, some years would have to pass before anything could be done with the little boy's gift, but it was still incredible.

Howard kept on grinning, turning back to Ivy with a laugh. He leaned into her shoulder, sucking on a thumb and watching as she made her rounds through the greenhouse. She talked to the foliage around her, a bright grin lighting the air around her. Mel, her giant Venus flytrap, was always happy to see her, so he growled warmly. It was a very endearing motion for his plant goddess.

"Hey Mel. How have you been doing baby? I've been pretty busy lately."

Mel wrapped a couple of vines around Ivy's shoulders, cradeling his "mommy" carefully. He growled a response to Ivy, signalling that he missed her and the others. Ivy just smiled wider and said that she'd bring the others in more often. The responding purr was so deep that it rattled through Ivy's chest, perfectly displaying the behemoth plant's pleasure.

"I love you too, baby. I wonder what the others are doing though?"


	12. Chapter 12

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Harley and Sunni stepped outside, the crisp and cold December air causing goosebumps to ripple up their flesh. The older woman shivered, even as Snow pressed her warm furry body up against her legs.

"We chose to wear t-shirts why?"

Sunni laughed, leading the way to the shed were she and the boys had hidden their cars. "Because we're crazy?"

Thoughtful, Harley pressed a finger to her chin and tilted her head, brows furrowing together as she thought it over. "You know what? I do believe that you're correct."

Throwing open the shed door, Sunni laughed and responded, "I'm always correct Harley, just like Ivy is."

The harlequin wasn't paying attention to what the fourteen year old was saying, though, as she was lost in the sight of the three cars. Sunni pulled the tarp off of the Jaguar, revealing the bright purple paint job. The chrome rims shone in the light, throwing off spokes of light that nearly blinded you once you were caught in them. Harley could see the black leather on the inside of the vehicle, absorbing all light and throwing everything into shadow.

"How...?"

Sunni shrugged, opening the door and throwing the keys at Harley. "This is one of Dad's old cars. We swiped three of them from the old mansion, but I couldn't drive the Mustang's stick and neither could Eli or Gabe."

Shaking her head, Harley took the keys from Sunni and slid into the driver's seat. Sunni hopped into the passenger side, followed closely by Snow, who perched herself in the back seat of the car. Firing up the engine, the harlequin roared out of the drive and towards the upper side of Gotham.

"So let me get this straight. You and the twins managed to get back to your old house, swipe three cars, drive them back here, cover them up, and get back in the house before Red and I got home? That just don't seem right!"

Laughing and pulling some dark sunglasses out of the glove compartment, Sunni said, "We're super-powered adolescents that were mutated by our own father. We survived all on our own for one week without destroying Ivy's home and I can speak to wolves. Harl, are you really that surprised that we managed to jack three sports cars?"

Harley opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and concentrated on speeding towards the mall. Smirking, Sunni muttered, "I thought so."

It didn't take long for them to reach the mall, not with Harley Quinn driving an almost brand-new Jaguar. They caught several eyes as they passed several pimps and their posse cars, laughing at the stunned expressions on their faces. Soon they were outside Bergduff's, parking the Jaguar and locking it for for good measure.

Snow bounded out of the back, handing her leash to Sunni with a gentle mouth. **Here ya go Sunni!**

**Thanks Snow. **

Harley got a sly look in her eyes before she bolted for the door, calling over her shoulder, "Race ya to the shoe department!"

Taking off with Snow, Sunni shouted, "Hey no fair! You gotta head start!"

Chasing after Harley was the easy part. Getting ahead of her was going to be harder.

_Back at Ivy's House_

Eddie sat on the couch, an arm wrapped around Camden's shoulders while he watched the _NCIS_ marathon. They had calmed down shortly after Sunni and Harley, lapsing into a silence that made the Riddler slightly worried. It was too calm. Just like the calm before the storm.

Despite his fears that the world as he knew it was about to explode, Eddie remained relaxed. At least the Joker was still in Arkham instead of out on the streets and possibly showing up on the doorstep. As soon as that thought passed through his mind, Eddie's world exploded.

A news flash popped up, a very haggard and worn anchor woman staring at the camera before her. "Breaking News; there has been a mass breakout from Arkham Asylum. Just thirty minutes ago, five highly dangerous convicts busted out, injuring over twenty guards and killing several more. The list of names will be scrolled across your screen and we will keep you updated."

At this, Edward sat bolt upright, staring intently at the names that scrolled across the plasma. What he saw nearly made him pass out with fear. First came the mugshot of Harvey Two-Face, the scarred half of his face leering at the cameraman. Camden jumped at the sight, ducking behind Eddie and burying his face. Then came Killer Croc, his mutated face growling and that inhuman tongue lolling out of his mouth. _That _made Edward queasy. Croc was known to eat anyone that he came across.

Jaylon now jumped up, backing away from the television and literally flew to curl up next to the twins. Eli was glaring at the names as as they scrolled across the screen, as if the poisonous stare could somehow transport the inmates back to Arkham. Gabe was doing the same thing, only his eyes had gotten that slightly silver tinge they did whenever he was about to multiply himself.

Scarecrow, Victor Zsasz, and finally the Joker scrolled across the screen, chilling Eddie to the bone. Zsasz was bad enough on his own, but combined with Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc it was almost apocalyptic in proportions. The babies were now whimpering, hiding their faces as the horrible image of Killer Croc once again ran across the screen. The twins looked like their faces were going to explode and the wolves were even growling at the screen, hackles raised and eyes glowing eerily.

Standing, Eddie turned to the boys. "It's gonna be okay boys. Why don't you go into the kitchen and I'll get Ivy from the kitchen?"

Eli looked at each other and nodded. The punk of the two stood, grabbing Jaylon's hand and gently leading him towards the kitchen door. Camden had long since turned invisible, sneaking off to hide somewhere that the others hadn't searched yet. Gabe merely shrugged, muttering that he wasn't about to waste his life trying to find the boy. Eddie glared at the nine year old, but didn't stop him as he strode into the kitchen with the others. The older man ran a hand through his auburn hair, turning back to the toddlers that were whimpering in the playpen.

Lifting Hayden and Miles, Eddie quickly went into the kitchen, depositing the babies into their highchairs and telling Eli to watch them. Striding through the door, he quickly found himself in the warm and humid air of the greenhouse. The scent of all the flowers hit him like a truck, but it hardly did anything to stop the normally meek Riddler. Sifting through the various smells that assaulted his nostrils, Edward caught the very scent that he had caught that morning; jasmine and orchids.

Grimly, he followed the smell, finding Ivy around towards the back, stroking one of Mel's vines and laughing at the antics of Howard as he squirmed in her arms. Eddie was almost sorry that he had to disturb the perfect peace that the green goddess had achieved as of late. But the situation at hand was to much not to tell her.

A soft cough alerted her to his presence, and Ivy turned, her eyes sparkling. The sight nearly made Eddie's knees buckle, but he managed to stay on his feet. She was just so beautiful, and so happy now.

Curiousity crept into her features and her voice whispered over to his ears, soft and gentle. "What's wrong Edward?"

Sighing, he walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We need to talk."

"What is it?"

"There's been a breakout. Joker sprung Face, Scarecrow, Zsasz, and Croc and now they're on the loose."

Ivy blanched, cradeling Howard closer to her chest. "How...?"

Eddie stepped foreward, pulling Ivy into a gentle hug. "I don't know Ivy. I don't know."

_Bergduff's Mall; Hot Topic._

Sunni pulled Harley away from the joke store, dragging her towards Hot Topic with help from Snow. The harlequin whined, her eyes sparkling childishly. "Aw come on Sun! I wanna look at the whoopied cushions!"

"No Harl! You promised that we could go to Hot Topic!"

Harley huffed, but ceased to fight against her younger counterpart. They entered the store, getting curious stares from the customers. Snow was wagging her tail, staring at the world around her happily. **What'r they starin' at Sunni?**

**I think it's you Snow. Not many people have a white wolf as a pet. **

Continuing into the store, Sunni found a Gir t-shirt that she really loved, along with some great studded belts that Harley loved. The harlequin said that she loved the colors, and the younger girl could really tell that she did. Eyes sparkling, Harley snagged a bright blue belt from the rack, the rhinestones glittering in the low light of Hot Topic.

"I want this one!"

Nodding, Sunni looked at the price tag, but nearly fell over as she did so. "Harley, do you know how much this thing costs?"

Harley nodded. "Yeah. Don't worry. I've got over six hundred bucks with me. That bank really padded my wallet."

The younger girl laughed, her eyes glinting happily. "Well in that case, get it. I want to grab some collars for the pack and some hair color too."

With that, the pair went off on a shopping spree of the ages. Sunni grabbed three black leather collars for the wolves, each one more intricately designed than the last. Fang's was a deep black, designs patterned into the leather and silver lacing the the ridges. Steel's was equally black, only his had bright silver skulls on it, the phrase, "_What's your problem?_" also outlined in silver. Snow's collar was different, approved by the small white wolf herself. It was a dark blue color, with lacy snowflakes of rhinestones all around. The buckle was the same color as the rest of the collar, making it the words in it very clear. Three solid black leashes were also bought, along with worn and "bloody" tags for the collars.

Sunni also bought bright acid green, purple, and deep red hair color for herself and Eli. They were rather bright colors, but they suited Sunni and her younger brother. Harley on the other hand bought seven Gir t-shirts, each one showing the adorable little robot with different quotes. Obviously Harley had been watching WAYYYYYY too much _Invader Zim. _Giggling and laughing with each other the entire time, Sunni and Harley went up to pay.

The goth cashier widened his eyes slightly at the sight of Snow, but managed to keep his cool. "That'll be $235.40."

Harley non-chalantly handed him the cash, grabbing her change and bouncing out of the store with Sunni. They quickly pulled the old collar off of Snow's neck, replacing it with the new one. The small wolf puffed her chest out proudly, wagging her tail and panting.

**I like this Sunni!**

Sunni chuckled and relayed the message to Harley, who's grin widened even further. She rubbed Snow behind the ears, saying, "You've got taste kid."

**Thanks Harley!**

"Snow says thanks Harl."

The older blond laughed again, pointing to a music store that was towards the back of the mall. "You wanna go ta Enrique's?"

Sunni's eyes lit up. "Would I! Enrique is like the coolest guy ever!"

"Well come on then!"

With that, they ran off through the crowd, dodging people as they tried to get out of the trio's way. Snow lead the way, her amber eyes bright and happy. It wasn't a long run to Enrique's, so they reached the music store fairly quickly. Before entering though, Sunni gave Snow a mental warning not to touch anything.

**Enrique's very particular about his things Snowy. Don't touch anything. **

**Okey Dokey Sunni. **

Smiling, Sunni lead her wolf and Harley into the dimly lit hard rock guitar store. You see, Enrique wasn't your normal music store owner. He only sold instruments, equipment, and music pertaining to hard rock and metal. Needless to say, he was one of Sunni's favorite people in the world.

The Spanish-American man sat behind the counter, smoking a Havana cigar. Shelves of the latest in all heavy metal and hard rock artists lined the walls behind him, the bright designs and dark themes on each one contrasting greatly with the uniquely cheerful man before them. Catching sight of Sunni and Harl, Enrique smiled, politely putting out his cigar.

"Hola Chica! I haven't seen you around here in a while senorita!"

"Hola Enrique! I've been busy lately. But I'm here now, so the past few weeks don't count. Have you met my friend Harley yet?"

Enrique turned his deep brown eyes to stare at Harley, the gaze sharp and intelligent despite his relaxed demeanor. "Do I know you chica?"

Harley shook her head, bright baby blue's looking totally innocent. "No. I've never met you before in my life."

Surprisingly, the statement was true. Enrique and Harley had never met before, but you could be damn sure that he'd seen her on T.V. before. Snow interupted the conversation, standing on her hind legs to get a better look at the store owner.

"Aidios meho! Where did you come from?"

Sunni laughed, explaining that Snow was her pet. Enrique looked at the happy little wolf before softening. Just make sure she doesn't touch any of my stuff. It'll be your head if she does, Sunni."

"I know Enrique. I just want the new _Avenged Sevenfold _cd."

Turning, the Hispanic man grabbed a dark blue cd, a very scared child in the foreground while a skull Grim Reaper stood in over her. "Nightmare?"

Sunni nodded. "That's the one."

Enrique scanned the small case, ringing her up. "That'll be $25.10."

Paying Enrique, Sunni took her new cd and smiled at him. "Thanks Enrique!"

"Anytime chica! Just don't go looking for trouble."

Harley and Sunni laughed as they exited the store, Snow trotting happily on their heels. "Like I'll ever conform to that statement."

The cheerful atmosphere of the mall suddenly darkened, a scream ringing out from the crowds at the North end of the mall. Through the squalling swarms of people emerged one of the scariest things Sunni had ever seen; it was Killer Croc. Why he was in the mall Sunni would never know, but she'd never forget the awful roar he let out. His bright yellow eyes scanned the swirling mob of people, obviously looking for someone.

Harley clutched Sunni's hand, steering her towards the exit. "Come on! We've gotta get outta' here!"

Croc let out another roar, a name forming amidst the animalistic rage. "HARLEY!"

Snow whimpered, running ahead of Sunni and Harley. **Sunni he's scary!**

**I know Snow. Just keep running!**

Unfortunately, Croc caught sight of Harley's characteristic pigtails just as they slipped out of the west exit. _**"HARLEY!"**_

The girls ran all the harder, the Jaguar only twenty feet away as Killer Croc crashed through the door. Saliva coated his maw, his muddy and powerful fists clenched into fists as the mutated man locked onto them. "HARLEY!"

Sunni panicked, swiping the keys from Harley, opening and unlocking the car, and slipping into the driver's seat in less than a second. "GET IN HARLEY!"

The harlequin didn't argue. She leapt into the passenger seat, Snow bounding into her lap as they car screamed out of the parking lot. Croc was fast, though, and he was soon on their heels, snapping at the truck of the sports car.

By now, Sunni was beyond furious, everything about her darkening as she clutched the steering wheel. She growled ferally, reminding Harley of the girl that she had first met at Ivy's; wild, dangerous, and not truly in control of what she did. Just as Harley thought this though, Sunni jerked the car to the right quickly, doing a complete 180 and ramming the front end into Croc's face. The giant rolled over the front of the car, thudding across the asphalt for a good 50 feet before coming to a halt.

Again, Sunni gased it, doing another 180 and speeding over Croc. She was going a good 170 through the city, making turns and passes that shouldn't have even been humanly possible. The fourteen year old did it anyways, reaching Ivy's greenhouse in a record ten minutes from uptown. They screamed into the driveway, skidding to a halt that made the tires squall and smoke rise from the concrete beneath them.

Only then did Sunni relax, revealing that she had clutched at the wheel hard enough to make a perfect impression of her hands. Looking over at Harley and Snow, she whispered, "You alright?"

Harley looked like she was about to either cry or hurl, so Sunni answered for her. "Your first ride with me was that bad huh?"

The harlequin nodded, opening the car door and bailing out. Snow followed quickly, her tail tucked between her legs as she followed Harley inside. Sunni sighed. This was SO going to come back and bite her in the butt.

_Ivy's house thirty minutes previous..._

Ivy sat with Eddie, curled up under his arm as they watched the news channels. The babies were taking a nap in Harley's room, Steel and Fang guarding them carefully. They had finally found Camden, curled up in a corner and crying. Those pictures had terrified him to say the least, so now he was curled safely in Ivy's arms, the green villainess gently stroking his hair as he buried his face in her chest.

Eddie kept a stony faced silence upheld, his arm wrapped protectively around Ivy. This was out of character for him, but it wasn't really bad. It meant that the pompous ass that was the Riddler was giving way to a more caring person. Another news flash popped up on the screen, the anchorman looking extremely disheveled and tired.

"This just in. Killer Croc has been seen terrorizing Bergduff's Mall. Hundreds were sent fleeing into the streets, but Croc was apparently only after one. He chased after a woman named Harley, a girl who was apparently her daughter and a white dog into the parking lot. They are seen here fleeing in a purple Jaguar, only to do a complete turn around and hit Croc head on. Killer Croc was apprehended afterwards, injured but alive. The Jaguar wasn't seen again."

Ivy put a hand to her mouth, trying not to cry as she heard the reporter. It was Harley and Sunni in that Jaguar. How could this happen? They were always so careful? Unable to fight the tears anymore, she placed her face in Eddie's shoulder, the man squeezing her even tighter. Jaylon's voice floated down from where he hovered behind them.

"Ivy, are Sunni and Harley goin' to be okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Ivy calmed herself and responded quietly, "I don't know sweetheart."

Just as she said that, the sound of squalling tires resounded from the driveway, a purple Jaguar screaming into small area behind the house and parking next to the Escalade. It sat there for a moment, but soon Harley came barreling out of it, Snow right on her heels.

Bursting through the doorway, Harley stood in the middle of the living room before whispering, "That was the scariest car ride of my life."


	13. Chapter 13

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Harley sat in the living room floor, Eli and Gabe sitting on either side of her and holding her hand. The normally happy harlequin was shaking, effectively traumatized by the car ride home. The twins tried to console her, saying that Sunni was just especially angry during the ride and that she didn't want to kill her. Nothing they said really made a difference, though. Harley had officially shut down, rocking the nine year olds back and forth in her arms and whispering, "He was looking for me. He was looking for me."

Eli caught the whispers, turning to Ivy and saying, "I don't think it was the car ride that did it."

Sunni suddenly came in, normal looking, but sober. Her eyes scanned the full room, resting on Ivy and Eddie on the couch. In her hands, she held several bags full of merchandise. As incredible as it may seem, she and Harl had managed to hold onto their stuff throughout the entire ordeal.

When she spoke, Sunni's voice was calm and surprisingly flat for the normally expressionate teen. "I take it there was a breakout?"

Ivy nodded, pulling Camden even closer as he sniffled. Her bright green eyes locked onto Sunni's, showing actual concern for the girl in the doorway. "Sweety are you okay? You seem distant."

Something passed across Sunni's face, but it was gone just as soon as it appeared. The flat dead tone was back in her eyes. She had retreated back into her shell. "I'm fine. I just wanna take a shower and get something to eat."

With that, Sunni strode off towards the bathroom down the hall, dropping the bags next to the couch as she passed. Jaylon watched from the ceiling for a second, floating down to perch on the back of the sofa. His eyes had tears in them, but his voice betrayed more disappointment than sadness. "She's just like Dad was when Mom died."

Eddie and Ivy looked at each other, understanding what he meant perfectly. Ivy was about to tell Jaylon to come sit with her and Camden, but Harley jumped in. "Come here Jay-Jay."

Jaylon leapt off of the sofa, landing lightly in front of Harley. He took in her features, studying them more intently than your average six year old. Her eyes were still scared, but they had gained more of their normal optimistic vibe. Harley smiled gently at him, holding open her arms so that he could climb into her lap. "It'll be alright. Your sister is really strong. I should know; I was in the car when she had the guts to run down Killer Croc!"

Everyone laughed at that, including Ivy and Eddie, who were normally too serious to even chuckle at one of Harley's jokes. The twins stood, sharing a secret look that could only mean trouble. Gabe composed his face again. For what it was worth, his features could have been carved out of marble. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, brother mine?"

Eli was now grinning manically, reminding Ivy somewhat uncomfortably of the Joker. "Oh yeah!"

With that, the spikey-haired boy shot off down the hall, moving so fast that all the others saw was a blur of color. The sound of frantic rummaging resounded down the hallway, making Ivy somewhat nervous. A loud, "Ah Hah!" came from Eli and he was back in the living room in a flash. In his hand he held a video camera, the bright blue casing glinting in the low light of the living room.

"I have a video that is sure to lift your spirits. Well, it will ours anyways, I'm not sure about Ivy or Eddie."

The plant villainess nearly bolted off of the sofa, but Eddie pinned her down, aided by the little boy safely tucked in Ivy's grasp. "Oh no you don't! I wanna see this because this might acutally make me laugh. Surprising as it may seem, I find laughing at myself to be beneficial."

Incredibly, she calmed, leaning back into Eddie as she resumed her stroking of Camden's hair. Her silky auburn hair was flowing across the bare skin on Edward's arm, causing gooseflesh to ripple across the limb. "Why is it that when I do something embarrasing, people find it funny?"

Harley piped up, now back to her normal bubbly self. "Because you hardly do anythin' that's funny Red. You're always so perfect. That just makes your mistakes all the funnier."

Ivy pouted, burying her face into Eddie's chest. He squeezed her slightly on the shoulder, chuckling. "You know your pretty cute when you're acting like a child."

A single green hand reached up and slapped him on the chest, knocking the wind out of the poor man. Smiling, Ivy sat up slightly, whispering, "That's what you get for being a smart-aleck."

Gabe raised a hand and shouted, "If the lovely couple on the couch would be so kind as to SHUT UP, then we can get on with the show. Now, Eli and I set this camera up in Ivy's bedroom last night. It was after she had fallen asleep of course, but before you freak out, I want to say that it was to watch the wolves. My peanut butter crunchies have been disappearing as of late, so I just wanted to see if it was any of the wolves that were doing it. Imagine my surprise when this showed up on the screen when I reviewed the footage."

Eli had connected the small camera to the television, the high-definition screen showing what had happened the night before in perfect clarity. Ivy was asleep in her bed, the wolves sprawled on the floor around her. A dark shape started stumbling up the hall, and who would enter but Edward Nygma? His eyes were closed and his hair was tousled, but he stepped around the wolves expertly, not even brushing a single strand of their pelts.

He crawled into the bed, sliding under the covers and lying on his back. Ivy rolled over, snuggling close to him with a smile on her face. He curled an arm around her, nearly pulling the minty green woman on top of his chest. Eli fast forwarded the footage until about six o' clock in the morning. Edward nearly had to peel Ivy off of him, still asleep while he did so, and strode back down the hall. With that, Gabe shut off the video with a triumphant smirk.

Ivy and Edward were both blushing fiercely, the latter of the two clutching onto his partner in embarrasment. Harley was rolling on the floor, tears streaming down her face as she gasped for air around her desperate laughter. "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! RED AND...AND...EDDIE...AND...OH MY GOD!

Camden had long since climbed down from Ivy's lap and was now laughing with the rest of them. Ivy buried her face in her hands and scooted as far away from Nygma as possible. "This is so embarrassing."

Eddie for his part was surprisingly cool. His face might have been as red as a beet, but he was managing to not stutter as he muttered. "I really need to correct my sleepwalking problem, although, last night was probably the best night of sleep I've had in a while...OWWW!"

Ivy had slapped him again. "Don't feed off my embarrasment and NEVER come back in my room again."

_Joker's Hideout; Abandoned Whoopy Cushion factory _

The sound of manic cackling reverberated through the metal building, grating on both Harvey and Two-Face's nerves. _When is that idot going to stop! I'm about to shoot him!_

Harvey tried to soothe his more dominant half, but there was no going back. Two-Face was large and in charge, and there was no way to stop him once he was on a roll. The only thing that did that was the coin. The tool by which he and Two-Face lived rested in their scarred hand, the agitated Two-Face rubbing it with his thumb. The cackling continued for a while, but it slowly died off, the last of it echoing off of the metal around them.

_Okay. That was creepy even for us._

Nodding, Harvey started up the ladder that lead him to Joker's "playhouse". Several gruesome renditions of familiar toys littered the area, making everything seem like a minefield for children. Jack-in-the-boxes that would spit acid; rubber snakes designed to eject SmileX once touched. It was a rather horrifying sight, but the chuckling that eminated from a large clown-shaped throne was enough to chill Dent and his violent counterpart to the bone.

"Oh Facey! I've been getting lonely!"

Two-Face stepped forward, the scarred half of his face terrifying in the shadows. His voice growled out, doing nothing to stop the clown's insane grin. "What do you Joker? I know you have to have a plan, otherwise my ass would still be in Arkham."

The Joker's white face glowed white in the light, that crimson and bloody grin stretching the clown's face to disproportional dimensions. "I'm gonna kill Batsy! But while I do that, I wanna get rid of a certain thorn in my side, if you catch my drift."

A bright orange eye glowed as Two-Face grinned. He did catch the drift and that was woman that he was absolutely itching to blast full of holes. Poison Ivy; the bitch was going down. But first... Taking out his coin, the men flipped the double-headed coin, watching as it glittered and spun. It landed in his palm, the scarred side up, Lady Liberty blackened and burned and scratched. Death for that little Rose. Dent tried to fight free, but now Two-Face was in control.

"We're in. So what do you want us to do? I know you sent Croc after Harley, but what about Zsasz and Bird-Boy?"

Chuckling, Joker steepled his fingers and settled back into his rather grotesque chair. "Johnny boy's going to lead me to Harl since Croc was a miserable failure. You and Zsasz are going to take care of small, green and Itchy."

Two-Face and Harvey both agreed on one thing; they did NOT want to work with Victor Zsasz. He was psycho to the seventy-fifth power. "Can we just do it on our own? Zsasz can kill people on his own, but we wanna off Ivy."

Tilting his head slightly, Joker stared at the men that were trapped in the same body. His smile widened even further, showing Harvey just how dangerous he really was. "Of course ya can Facey. Just make sure you do it right, otherwise you're gonna get a face full of laughter, patented by the good doctor himself!"

With that, Joker threw his head back, laughing at that same high pitched and insane tone his laugh had before. The sound reverberated through the abandoned theater, rebounding off of the steel walls and pounding its way into the mobster's eardrums. Nodding curtly, Two-Face forced Harvey's legs to walk down the ladder and out the door, pulling a slip of paper from the black half of his suit and smiling evilly. Things were about to get really nasty for Ivy. And come to think of it, Riddler had it comin' to him too. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

_Ivy's Home; 10:30 p.m_

Sunni snuck through the house, trying not to wake anyone. She needed some cash and she needed a joyride. As soon as she had gotten out of the shower, Ivy had pounced on her, saying that if she ever pulled crap like that again, she was going to be a dead person walking. Sunni had simply nodded and went on, actually quite scared of the slight woman that was only a few inches taller than her.

But, the fear didn't stay for long, because as soon as Ivy was asleep, the teen felt the incredible urge to go on another joyride. Why fight something that came perfectly natural to you?

So here she was, grabbing the keys to the General Lee and tiptoeing out to the Charger. The door didn't even make a sound as she slipped out into the night. The cold crisp air of December rose up to meet her, fingers of ice clawing into the girl's body. She didn't care. The bright orange paint job shone in the darkened shed, and she knew that she was about to do the stupidist thing she had ever done in her life; she was going to defy Poison Ivy.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunni let lose on the throttle, tearing out of the Gotham City slums. Her new _Avenged Sevenfold _cd was blasting, rattling the windows as she passed the cars at 150 miles an hour. The sound of the heavy metal and the chest-rattling bass of the drums made Sunni nearly purr with pleasure. This is what she needed! Action, adventure, and adrenaline pumping through her veins at the thought that the Batman or the police force could be on her tail at any minute! It was exhilirating.

The loud squal of sirens made Sunni grin and growl at the same time. This was it; her element was now in full force. Gunning the motor, she picked up the pace, screaming in between two double-decker buses. The radio squawked, alerting the teen to the fact that the cops were trying to get her to come in. Lifting up the reciever, Sunni cleared her throat before hitting the button and calling out in a gruff voice.

"This is Bandit answerin' the county mounties. What do ya'll want?"

The radio buzzed with static, another gruff voice speaking. It was clearly male, with a tone that was obviously pissed off. "This is Officer James Strong. Pull over and surrender immediately or we will open fire on your vehicle and stop you forcibly."

Sunni laughed, slamming on the brakes and turning sharply down a side road. "Well that's gonna be mighty hard for you ta do now ain't it sonny Jim?"

Laughing again into the mike, she sent the cops onto another wild chase, screaming through Gotham like an atomic bomb on wheels. People lined up on the sidewalk as she passed, staring in awe at the driving prowess before them. It was truly amazing, made even more so by the fact that the driver known only as Bandit was really fourteen year old Sunni Amyx. The heavy metal playing in the car reverberated through the streets as Sunni passed through them, making the civilians on the sidewalk scratch their heads in wonder.

The chase lasted well into the night, slowing only when Sunni felt that she needed to ditch the losers. She saw her oppurtunity at an abandoned construction sight, eyeing the pile of dirt that was heaped just in front of a trench that ran through the center of the vast area.

She picked up her mike, chuckling into the speaker. "Well boys, it's been fun, but I'm going to call it a night."

Officer Strong called out, screaming his lungs out. "DON'T YOU DARE YOU LITTLE...!

But it was too late. Sunni had already veered into the sight. She headed straight for the dirt ramp, watching the cops try to follow her in the rear-view mirror. Up into the air she went, spying a dark shape flying towards her in the night. Her stomach dropped to the floor, watching as a bat-like figure landed on the trunk of her car. It upset the equilibrium slightly, but not enough to make Sunni crash. No, she merely swerved a little bit on the landing, having a slight problem regaining control of the behemoth Dodge.

The Batman held on for dear life, clutching to the side of the car so he wouldn't die. Sunni could've screamed, but she didn't because she didn't want Batsy looking up and seeing who she really was. Instead, she slammed on the brakes again, sending the Caped Crusader barrel rolling over the hood of her car. The po-po had been too scared to try and make the jump, as they were avid _Dukes of Hazzard _watchers, and most were utterly convinced that Bandit was some kind of female Bo Duke.

Sunni put the car into reverse, heading towards a seemingly abandoned building that was just out of the police force's sight line. There was an SUV parked out front, so she might as well siphon some gas off of them.

Quickly, she shut the car off, pulling a specialized tube from under her seat and kinking it. Leaping out, Sunni opened the gas cap and stuck one end of the tube in, keeping it kinked as she did it to the other side. When she unkinked the hose, it sucked gasoline from the other car, feeding it into the General Lee. It shouldn't have taken long, but all the same, Sunni was nervous. Something about this place made her uneasy.

A gruff voice made her hide behind the General quickly, her eyes glowing amber and her hair darkening to a pitch black. Her sensitive ears picked up on the conversation, and she didn't like what she was hearing.

"What the hell is this?"

A smaller voice came floating up, obviously scared of the rougher one. "I dunno boss. It wasn't here a second ago."

The tube was ripped from the cars, a horribly scarred hand reaching just into Sunni's sightline. The same gruff voice as before spoke, his tone laced with murder and psychosis. "Find the little theif. Bring whoever it is back to us so we can..._dispose _of them."

Sunni had to hold back a vicious snarl at the last sentence, crouching underneath the Charger and going as low as she could. She caught sight of two pairs of legs, both clad in dress pants. But while one was normal, the other had different fabric on each pant leg, forming a sharp contrast that the teen knew all too well. One of the men was Harvey Two-Face. That explains why the gruff voice said "us" instead of "me" and "we" instead of "I".

The smaller voice answered now, the high pitch quavering with fear. "Yes Boss."

The normal legs ran off, leaving Two-Face alone with himself and...himself. The shining shoes turned towards the Charger, but stopped for a second, making it seem as if Dent was admiring the car. He grunted, striding off, the smell of cigar smoke and gunpowder floating behind him. Sunni sighed in relief, waiting until Two-Face was gone before emerging silently to inspect the damage. Surprisingly, there wasn't any, other than the fact that she'd barely gotten started on the siphon before the goons came.

Gas would have to wait for later though. She needed to get the hell out of there and fast!

Quickly, without enough noise to alert a mouse to her presence, Sunni opened the Charger door and leapt in. Now came the hard part; how was she going to get away without letting Two-Face know she was leaving? She shook her head, turning the key and bringing the General back to life with a roar. Screw ninja-mode, she wanted to go home! Sunni roared out of the old building, back onto the streets of Gotham before the mobster and his gang had time to realize that she was there.

The gas tank was running a little higher than it had been, just full enough to get her home. Sunni gunned the motor again, heading across town at speeds that would put a racecar driver to shame. But soon, the same black shadow was on her again. Sunni looked up half expecting to see the Batman leaping back onto her trunk. Instead, she saw a media helicopter, a spotlight and camera trailed onto the General.

Shit! Ivy was going to have her head if she caught sight of her on the news! The teen snarled again, clutching at the rubber wheel with all her strength and willing the car to go faster. She slid in and out of traffic, trying to lose the chopper somehow. Catching a glimpse of a covered building, she sped into it, listening as the helicopter flew overhead and doing another 180 to go out the way she came in. Finally! She was free!

The rest of the way back to the house was rather uneventful, Sunni pulling into the driveway at about two in the morning. Ever so silently, she wheeled the car into the shed and turned it off, slipping out and back into the house. She probably needed a shower and smelled like gasoline and leather, but Sunni was happy all the same. She'd gotten her joyride and she'd outsmarted the Gotham police force, Batman, and Two-Face all in the same night!

Tiptoeing through the house, Sunni made sure everyone was asleep before going off to bed, flopping on the floor after changing back into her pajamas. Tired but satisfied, she fell into a deep slumber that was only broken hours later by an irate Ivy.

_The next morning..._

Ivy awoke, the sun streaming through her window and a slight pressure on her stomach. Opening her eyes slightly, the plant goddess looked down, staring into two seperate pairs of eyes. Jasper and Camden were awake, the younger of the two resting his rather impressive body weight on her stomach.

Smiling, Ivy sat up, pulling the younger boy closer to her. "G'mornin' champ. What's the matter?"

Jasper pushed off of her easily, his super strength overpowering his green caretaker easily. "The others are still asleep and we're hungry."

Raising a delicate brow, Ivy pulled Camden up closer to her as well, speaking with a soft note of humor. "Isn't your sister up?"

Camden pouted, shaking his head and looking up at Ivy with sad puppy dog eyes. "No. She's still snoring and I don't wanna wake her up because she's scary when she's mad."

Ivy nodded, slipping out from under the green silk sheets and grasping the boys' hands. She knew _exactly _how they felt. "Why don't I make you some cereal and I'll see if I can't wake the others up for you?"

Jasper looked up at her, grinning toothily. His caramel hair was tousled and messy, and his face still had a bright red patch where he slept, but Ivy thought that he'd never looked more beautiful. She smiled back, the little three year old melting under the warmth of it. Camden smiled too, putting a single pudgy digit to his lips as they passed the others rooms. The older woman had to stifle giggles at the boys and Harley, sprawled over each other in positions that were bound to be uncomfortable.

They entered the living room, Eddie snoring on the futon while Sunni slept on the floor beneath it. Ivy frowned as the sound of gasoline assaulted her nose, but she shrugged and dismissed the thought. She and the boys went into the kitchen, Ivy dragging out some recently acquired Honey Nut Cheerios and some Fruit Loops. Making small bowls of the rather sugary cereal, she passed them to Jasper and Camden.

"Sit here and be good. I'll wake up the others."

Camden nodded, but Jasper grinned and said enthusiastically, "Okay Mommy!"

Ivy froze. Did she really just hear that? The normally cool seductress that was Poison Ivy flushed, her brain going into overdrive. They had only been living with her and the others for a week or two, how had they come to see her as a mom that quickly? Camden's voice startled her back to the present, the little boy's tone laced with worry.

"Mommy are you okay?"

Ivy turned back to them, grinning with false brightness that she prayed was convincing. "I'm fine baby. Eat your breakfast."

They both nodded, appeased by her smile. Trembling slightly, Ivy went back into the living room, plopping down on the futon with Nygma. He was still snoring quietly, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he dreamed. Ivy now took the time to study his features fully, as she hadn't truly looked at the man before her with much scrutiny.

His face was actually quite handsome, with finely carved cheekbones and creamy white skin. His bright auburn hair was falling in wisps around his face, and although he needed a haircut, Ivy thought it made him look even better. His nose was straight, but not to large for his face, resting just above a pair of thin lips. His svelte form wasn't pudgy or soft, but neither was it well-muscled. It was a balance between the two; simply put, Edward Nygma was built like a long-distance track runner.

Despite all her attempts to distract herself from what Jasper had said, Ivy felt tears pooling in her eyes. God, why did everything have to be so confusing nowadays! She lay back on the futon, being careful not to touch Eddie. The man whom she had previously thought was asleep shot up, looking at her with some amount of concern. "Ivy? What's wrong?"

The small woman said nothing, but she curled up on the futon next to him, tears now fully flowing down her face. Rather akwardly, Eddie gathered her up into his arms, hugging the distraught Ivy fiercly. "Ivy, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

A small whisper escaped her lips, but to Edward, it was perfectly audible. "They called me Mommy."

Eddie still held her in his lap, his bare chest slightly rough with goosebumps. "Why are you crying then? I seem to remember a certain someone who always wanted kids."

Ivy managed to laugh slightly. "Sorry. I'm just confused. And nervous. What's going to happen to them if we get caught?"

Sighing, Edward buried his face into her hair, taking in the distinct floral scent of the silky locks. "You've already asked me this question Ivy. They'll be fine. Just live in the now, and don't worry about tomorrow. Everything's perfect, so take in as much of it as you can."

"So says the man that's always planning his next move whether it's a scheme or what he's going to wear."

"That doesn't count."

Ivy sat back up, drying her eyes. "Thanks Eddie. I needed that."

The Riddler smirked. "You seem to need that a lot lately."

Frowning, Ivy hopped up. "Shut up and watch the boys. I'll wake up Harl and the others."

Saluting, the man spoke in a ridiculous imitation of a Turkish accent, saying, "Ya bul!"

_Later in the kitchen..._

The others sat around the table, Ivy carefully feeding Howard his bottle while Harley fed Hayden and Miles. The later of the two was frazzled, as Hayden had been spitting out fireballs all morning. "Geez Red! What've ya been feedin' the kid? Hot Tamalies?"

Ivy smirked, watching the smaller blond in her arms suckling happily on his formula. "No I haven't Harl. His powers just act up sometimes. Give him some milk and they should calm down."

"Okay, but if it doesn't work and my eyebrows get singed off again, it's on your head Red."

"Whatever Harley."

Fang and Snow came trotting into the kitchen, followed closely by Steel, carrying their new collars proudly. Eli smiled, his hair sporting the deep red color that Sunni had bought at for him at Hot Topic. "Well don't you three look cool."

The alpha male drew himself up proudly, trotting towards the other boys with an even more precise movement. Ivy stood, still carrying Howard, and knelt towards Steel. The large iron-grey wolf still eyed her warily, but he didn't do anything. The villainess extended a hand, gently stroking Steel behind the ears.

"You're all good wolves. You deserve the collars."

With that, the giant canine relaxed, panting and wagging his tail happily. Ivy smiled and stood up again, stepping through the menagerie of chairs and children. Edward looked up from the paper, his dark eyes following her as he asked languidly, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to check up on the news."

Ivy soon disappeared into the living room, the pattern in the kitchen going back to normal. It was normal, that is, until a loud yell echoed from the living room.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?"


	15. Chapter 15

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

The scene on the television screen was one that confused Edward for a moment. He had rushed into the living room as soon as he heard Ivy shout, ordering the others to stay in the kitchen rather harshly. When he reached the source of the loud scream, Eddie found Ivy standing in front of the T.V, absolutely livid.

"She deliberately disobeyed me! I can't believe it!"

Eddie stood next to Ivy, taking the now whimpering Howard from her arms. What he saw on the news made his eyes nearly bug out of his head. A picture of Sunni was suspended in the left hand corner of the screen, while the rest of the picture was taken up by footage from the previous night. A Dodge Charger painted in the style of the General Lee sped across the screen, slipping through the traffic like a hot knife through butter. Eddie could tell that the driver was small, but the windows were tinted, so he couldn't really make out any true physical features.

One of the reporters provided commentary for the footage. _"Last night, police were baffled by the sudden return of an auto-mechanical maniac known only as Bandit. Bandit used to appear often around Gotham City, but activity from the street speedster has stopped the past twelve months. This was her comeback appearance, giving new meaning to the words 'Speed Demon'. The car never went under 100 miles an hour throughout the entire carchase, somehow swerving in and out of traffic without causing a single crash._

_"Officer James Strong was on the case that night, saying that he never expected to be outsmarted and outran by a teen in a Dodge. We've found the Bandit's to be none other than late local millionaire James Anthony Amyx's oldest child, Sunni. She and Mr. Amyx's eight young sons disappeared three weeks ago after sending out a 911 call claiming that their father was dead. Police confirmed the statement, but were never able to locate the children. The Batman was even lending a hand in the chase of the child runaway, but he was found later in a construction sight, unconcious after being flung from the trunk of the car. _

_"If you have any information to the whereabouts of Ms. Amyx or any of her siblings, we urge you to contact the local police station. The number is..."_

Ivy shut the television off with a vicious jab, nearly seething with rage. Edward stepped in between her and Sunni, who had moved to the futon after eating a cereal bar for breakfast. He held Howard carefully on his side, eyeing the furious villainess with care. "Ivy, calm down."

Instead, Ivy ground her teeth, her normally light skin darkening to a deep forest green. She gave off the scent of Lemon Pledge, only intensifying Eddie's growing fear. She only smelled like Lemon Pledge when she was angry, and judging by how she was acting, Ivy was more than angry.

"I will not calm down_ Edward_. Now move."

Eddie stood firm despite his fear, cocking an eyebrow and saying slowly. "I'm not moving until you tell me why you're so upset."

Ivy scowled, clenching and un-clenching her fists. "Because...because...because I just am!"

"That's not an acceptable answer, Pam."

"Don't call me that!"

"Then give me an answer."

Ivy let out an exasperated squeal, venomous green eyes burning into Edward's relatively calm ones. This was a problem for Ivy; the man was growing a spine. Normally, that would've been reason to celebrate, but not when he was getting backbone around her. Then it was downright annoying.

"It's just...she's too young to be pulling crap like that and she could've gotten hurt."

Eddie nodded sagely, stepping forward and placing Howard back into Ivy's arms. "If you're that upset about it, don't kill the poor kid. I think her punishment was staying up that late."

The scowl on Ivy's face softened slightly, but it didn't fade completely. "No, it isn't. When she wakes up, there'll be hell to pay."

The man that towered over her smiled, leaning in and doing something that shocked the smaller woman; he kissed her on top of the head. Eddie whispered in her ear, saying, "I knew you'd see it my way eventually."

Ivy blushed again as he left with a wink, staring down at Howard in her arms. "Where did that come from Howie?"

_Two-Face's Hideout: Tuesday-2:30 p.m_

Two-Face sat in his seat, sucking on two different cigars and smiling trimphantly. Harvey still wasn't in control, but he was still bitching like a baby all the same.

"_Face, what is it with you and Ivy? I mean, I don't like her either, but you're on like a vendetta or somethin'."_

_"Shut up you ignoramus. I hate that bitch! She's always tryin' to put the moves on us and kill us. I'm gonna put a stop to it."_

Why did Harv even try? The former district attorney retreated back inside himself, leaving his counterpart to finish what he was doing. Two-Face grinned, his scars making him look like a demon in the low light. There she was. That girl...the Bandit...she was the one who'd had the nerve to steal gasoline from his SUV. And since he'd put a tracking device on that little General of her's, he now knew where she was at.

He looked at the Google Earth image of where the Charger was currently resting. It showed a large greenhouse, plants obviously thriving inside of it. Perfect. She was staying with green, red, and Itchy.

The segregated man pulled his cigars out of mouth, grinning in such a way that the scarred half of his face look like a demon's. He was going to get her, but was of two mind as to whether or not to kill Ivy. Dent reached into his pocket, removing the well-worn quarter that never left his side. He observed it for a moment, taking in the two different sides of the two-headed coin. The one side was shining, each letter of the word Liberty perfectly clear and visible. On the reverse side, the face of Lady Liberty was charred, scratches criss-crossing the coin's metal.

He flipped it, watching as it swerved through the air. A scarred hand reached out, catching the quarter with practiced ease. He took in the side that was facing him, his grin widening. He called out to his goons, ordering to get the cars and all the guns ready. Not even the idiot musclemen could break his good mood now.

The coin was scarred side up.

_Ivy's House: 3:00 p.m_

Eli came running into the kitchen from the living room, his eyes wide and happy. He and the others had started to follow Jasper and Camden's example of calling her Mom, and it seemed to come naturally to the boys. "Mom, can we watch a new movie?"

Ivy looked over at him, quirking a single eyebrow as she cleaned Miles' face. "It depends on which movie it is."

"Mom, it's just _Over the Hedge_. So can we watch it?"

Ivy tapped her chin with a slim finger, seeming to think it over for a second. Then she smiled. "Of course you guys can. Why don't you wait for a moment so Harley, Eddie, and I can watch it with you?"

Grinning, Eli dashed over at supersonic speeds and gave Ivy the green woman a hug. "Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome sweety. Now go get Harl and Eddie."

With that, Eli ran off, trying to the harlequin and the Riddler. Ivy watched him leave, a smile still plastered to her face. This was amazing. She looked down at Miles, kissing him on the top of the head as she did so. His chocolatey brown hair smelled like her's and felt like silk. Miles giggled slightly. He hadn't had a concussive burp bought in almost a week thanks to Ivy's careful diet, and now he was happier than ever.

"Come on Miles. Let's go watch the movie."

Miles patted her face lightly as Ivy waltzed out of the room. The green villainess giggled right back, kissing his fingers and tickling his stomach as she entered the living room. Eli and Gabe were standing before the T.V., putting the DVD into the disc player. Jaylon and Camden watched impatiently, the older one of the boys floating into the air and doing somersaults to occupy himself until the movie started.

Eddie was lying on the futon, Howard resting in his lap and Jasper tucked under one arm. Harley preferred to sit on the armchair, Hayden bouncing happily on her knee. Sunni and the pack were gone on a walk, Sunni leading them with power and authority. Ivy's smile never faded as she looked on the sight. She finally had a family to love.

She waltzed up to the futon, saying cooly, "Can I sit next to you three?"

The man on the couch grinned with charm, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. "Of course you can M'Lady. Jasper, give Ivy some room."

The three year old scooted in closer to Edward, giving Ivy enough room to flop down with Miles right next to him. Kissing him on the forhead, Ivy whispered, "Thanks Champ."

"You're welcome Mommy."

Miles squirmed out of Ivy's grasp, preferring to sit on his older brother's lap. The movie started, drawing all the attention of the children, and Harley, away from Ivy and Eddie. Leaning back into the plush fabric of the sofa behind her, Ivy closed her eyes, stroking Miles' hair as he watched the movie before them. This was so peaceful.

Too bad that the peace was about to end.

At about four, Sunni came running in, fully transformed into the killer wolf child that she normally was. Her eyes were wide, the amber orbs reflecting both anger and fear. The wolves were right behind her, growling and snarling viciously.

"We need to get out of here! NOW!"

Edward was the first one to rise, his long legs carrying him with ease over towards the frightened teenager. He grasped her shoulders, holding her firmly as he asked Sunni what was wrong. She whispered something in his ear that made Edward panic. He straightened quickly, grabbing Howard from where he had rested the small boy on the couch.

"We've gotta hide the kids."

Ivy leapt up, holding onto Miles and Jasper as she stood. Her eyes were sparkling with fear. "What's wrong Edward?"

"Two-Face is coming."

Blanching, Ivy dragged the boys to the kitchen door, calling for Harley to follow them too. "Come guys, into the greenhouse."

They all followed without a sound, Camden trying to turn invisible as Jaylon clutched onto his hand. The adults lead them to a specially constructed hidey-hole behind Mel, the Venus Flytrap giving them plenty of cover and shelter. Ivy handed the babies to Sunni and the twins. Jasper ran up and hugged Ivy fiercly, trying not to crush her.

"Mommy don't go!"

Tears started to well in Ivy's eyes as she motioned for Edward and Harley to leave. She hugged Jasper back, looking over his shoulder at all the others. "I'll never leave you baby. I just have to get rid of a man okay? I promise I'll never willingly leave you."

Jasper sniffled a little, but he let her go and turned back to Sunni. The girl looked up at her caretaker, her amber eyes sparkling. "Be careful."

Nodding, Ivy ran off to help Eddie and Harley. The wolves were standing in the kitchen, forming a wedge-shaped defense around Ivy as she passed. The green villainess didn't notice as she burst into the living room just in time to see Two-Face to burst through the door.

The scarred man chuckled at her, sucking on a Havana cigar and carrying a Tommy-Gun. Edward was being held at gunpoint by a thug, although the man was desperately try and escape. Harley was surrounded by goons with AK-47s, her blue eyes wide with fear.

Two-Face spoke, his voice low, gruff and menacing. "Well if it isn't Poison Ivy. Wanna play sweetcheeks?"


	16. Chapter 16

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Ivy nearly growled, bristling with rage and frustration as she looked on Two-Face and his goons. The plants around her swirled violently, trying to bind the goons that held Harley at gunpoint. The poor blond was nearly hyperventilating, her eyes as wide as saucers as she looked down the barrels of the AK's. When she spoke, her voice only came out in a small, high-pitched squeak.

"Red? Do you think you could help here?"

Two-Face laughed cruelly, still sucking on his cigar with contempt. "I'm afraid that Ms. Ivy can't help you now Harley. I've been told that I'm not supposed to kill you yet, and I'm not allowed to kill Harley at all, but Joker said nothing about destroying Ivy and Riddles after he's done with them."

Steel snarled viciously at Ivy's feet, his amber eyes glowing brightly. Fang growled at him, putting the subordinate wolf back in his place. Snow stayed back slightly, but she circled around to the other side of the woman that had been her caretaker for the past three weeks. The white of her pelt contrasted greatly with the green of Ivy's skin, but the goons only noticed her fangs as the normally placid female started to growl, her hackles raising threateningly.

**Fang, can we do anything?**

The alpha pressed in closer to Ivy, standing protectively in front of her. **I don't know Snow. They've got guns, and you know what Sunni always says about guns.**

Steel snarled in his mind, his fur standing on edge from irritation. **Screw the guns! We need to follow what Sunni said and help Ivy!**

While this mental conversation was going on, Ivy was coming up with a plan. The plants around her stopped moving quite so violently, making it seem as if the woman had given up. Instead, the slithered silently across the floor, creeping forward so they could grab the goons with the element of surprise. The woman controling the flora around the room was now the one smirking, matching his smug smile almost perfectly.

"How do you plan to get us to come with you Harvey? In case you haven't noticed, you're in my element. You can't beat me when I'm on my home turf."

Edward snickered despite the gun barrel pointed at his temple. "She's got you there Harv."

Two-Face scowled ferociously, gesturing for the goon to hold Eddie tighter. The large man did just that, squeezing on the smaller Riddler's windpipe until his breath came in short gasps. He stopped with the commentary, face going red from lack of oxygen.

Flushing even darker with rage, Ivy made the vines wrap around the goon's arms and feet, yanking the man into the air. He squalled, dropping his gun and letting go of Edward. The Riddler fell to the ground, gulping air in desperately. The various plants stopped their silent creep, shooting out to restrain the other henchmen in the time it would have taken lightning. Two-Face watched the action with contempt but he didn't notice as the pack of wolves snuck closer to him.

Fang was the first to pounce, the scars on his muzzle looking like open white gashes as his muzzle opened wide. The canine's large ripping fangs dripped with saliva as he attacked the man before him. Two-Face caught the movement out of the corner of his left eye, whipping around and slamming the butt of his Tommy Gun into the wolf's temple. Fang yelped, slamming into the floor next to Edward and laying there silently.

The three villains that had come to know the wolves gasped with horror. Fang was out cold. Only the steady rise and fall of his midnight black chest clued Ivy and Harley into the fact that he was alive. Steel howled with frustration, the sound cold and chilling. Ferocious amber eyes locked onto Two-Face and the behemoth grey wolf shot forward on the attack, covering the short distance between himself and the mobster with ease.

Harley had rushed over to Fang and Eddie by now, cradeling his head in her lap with tears in her eyes. Steel had clamped his powerful jaws down onto Dent's thigh, tearing through his suit and into the muscle beneath. Two-Face cried out, unloading rounds from the semi-automatic in his hand into the vicious canine attached to him. Steel dropped like a stone, his jaws finally releasing Harvey Two-Face as he fell to the floor.

Flesh and bone was destroyed in the grey wolf's shoulder, crimson staining the green carpet beneath him. His bright eyes faded as blood loss took over and drained him of his strength. The last thing that was crossed to Snow in his mind before her best friend and packmate passed out was this.

**Shit that hurt.**

Snow howled, trying to rush forward to attack Dent, but she was stopped by a pair of slender green arms. Ivy buried her face into the snowy white pelt of her small canine friend. She whispered in Snow's ear, trying to calm the frantic scrambles and howls of the little girl.

Harley's small voice reached Two-Face's ears, trembling and thick with tears. "If we go with you, can you promise not to hurt us?"

The former district attorney and his psychotic counterpart pondered the question for a moment, unconciously pulling the scarred coin by which they lived out of the suit's right hand pocket. Flipping it with practiced ease, he stared at the shiny head that faced him. Damn.

"Alright. If you come quietly without a fight, I'll take ya to Joker without killing you."

Harley stared at the injured Fang in her lap for a moment before turning a pleading gaze towards Ivy. Her best friend considered the possibilities for a moment. They could either stand there and fight, possibly getting killed and leaving the kids open for capture and torture; or they could go quietly and almost certainly be killed and save the kids. Damn it, just when life was getting good.

She bowed her head, the plants around her responding to a silent command to release the struggling thugs. "We'll go."

Two-Face growled in approval for a moment...but then his cellphone, that had somehow been left untouched during his tussle with the wolf, started to ring. He lifted it from his pocket, flipping open the small cellular device and saying, "What the hell do you want Jack?"

_Joker's Hideout_

Joker held a cellphone in his hand, laughing psychotically into the microphone. "Why so angry Facey? You've got to learn how to laugh like me!"

_"Shut up and tell me what you're calling for."_

"When are you comin' back with Itchy and Harley?"

_"We'll be back soon. I've also got Riddler here if you want to let Zsasz loose on him."_

Joker cackled, looking over at the scrawney man fumbling with a blade in the corner. His tally mark scars were sharply defined in the low light, giving one the idea that he had simply been born with the marks. "Perfect! Poor Slicey's been itching ta get a hold of someone with that knife of his."

_"Great. We'll be over in about fifteen minutes."_

"See ya soon Facey!"

Joker hung up the phone, leaping lightly off the large chair he had been hanging upside down in. His scarlet grin was spread wide across his stark white face, distorting his features grotesquely. Attention focused solely on the murderer in front of him, Joker skipped forward happily, fingering a popgun that he had been carrying in the pocket of his purple jacket.

"Guess what Zsaszy? Old Two-Face is going to bring you someone to play with!"

Victor's head jerked up, bald skin taught across the cap of his skull. Dark, sunken, and insane eyes bored into the crazed ones of the Joker. There was only one difference; Joker's eyes gleamed with a mad intelligence that was tampered with cold laughter. Zsasz's however where blood-thirsty and crazed, like a wild animal's

"Really?"

The hoarse whisper nearly sent gooseflesh up Joker's spine. But he kept his composure and his grin, returning the question with a yes. Zsasz started fiddling with his blade again, etched and slightly rusted silver flashing in the low sterile light of the abandoned factory.

"Good. His blood will stain my blade along with all the other's."

_Ivy's Greenhouse with the Kids; Twenty minutes previous. _

Sunni sat nervously behind Mel, using her connection with the pack to observe the conflict in the living room. The teen twitched and fidgeted, constantly shifting Howard as he sat in her lap. The others watched her with a cautious air, noting the bright amber flash that would present itself every now and again. Eli clutched onto Hayden tightly, eyes squeezed shut in silent prayer.

_"Please let them be okay. Don't let them get hurt or die."_

The normally cool punk of the family was terrified and literally buzzing with anxiety. He bounced himself and Hayden back and forth at supersonic speeds. The movement was so fast that it was barely perceptible, but when Gabe placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, he could feel the vibrations from the high-speed motion.

"Calm down, Eli. The others are scared too. Why don't you do something productive, like keeping them calm?"

Nodding quietly, Eli sat down on the soft earth beneath him, opening his arms so that Jasper and Camden could snuggle in close to him. Jaylon held onto Gabe, who was balancing Miles on his hip. They were all scared senseless that they might be alone again. It was bad enough that they had been alone when Dad was still alive, but the utter solitude of not having anyone to call family other than each other was painful in the extreme.

Sunni still concentrated on the fight. Fang had decided to attack. He was charging. A howl of utter rage nearly escaped Sunni's throat when Two-Face struck Fang. The alpha dog, the dog that was always so strong and practical, was now unconcious on the floor. Now came Steel.

The wolf that had taught her how to fight, taught her how to be fearsome and strong in everything she did, latched onto Two-Face. The satisfaction of the strike was short lived, turning quickly back into terror. He shot Steel. Steel was hurt and there was no way she could help. A single thought floated into Sunni's brain, pain floating in the deep molasses of Steel's voice.

**Shit that hurt.**

Tears sprang into Sunni's eyes and she clung to Howard, hoping that her baby brother could help disapate the pain she was feeling in her heart. It wasn't long before the door slammed, the assailant and his thugs going back to their car with Ivy, Harley, and Eddie in tow.

Camden started freaking out, sobbing frantically as Eli held him back. "No Mommy! Don't leave us! I don't wanna be alone again!"

The SUV's pulled out of the drive, a path of destruction in their wake. Sunni immediately leapt up, rushing into the living room to find Steel lying in a pool of blood on the floor. Hot salty tears flowed down her face as Sunni knelt beside his body, Snow snuggling up next to her. Shallow and hot breaths brushed against her hand as the girl ran her hand over his muzzle.

Snow spoke, scared that she might lose her best friend. **Sunni, can you help him?**

**I don't know Snowy. I don't think I can.**

Howard extended a pudgy hand towards Steel, the glow around it imperceptible to Sunni's clouded vision. When he touched the deep, blood-matted pelt, an incredible thing happened. Muscle and bone started to heal, re-aligning to their original places. The tissue started to heal, sealing up seamlessly as a layer of fresh skin covered it. Dark grey hair began to regrow, stopping as soon as it was the same length and thickness as the rest of his pelt. Amber eyes finally opened, scanning the worried and stunned faces of the others above him.

**What the hell just happened?**

The others came bursting in, gasping at the amount of blood on the floor and the destruction around them. Bullet holes littered the walls and tore into the fabric of the couch, showing just how many times the goons had shot.

Jaylon flew up next to Fang, who was just starting to rouse from his stupor. "What'r we gonna do Sunni? I want Mommy."

Biting her lip, Sunni rested her head atop Howard's, closing her eyes and taking in his milky scent. He had just given Steel a second chance without even knowing it, just like they had given the others a second chance. Resolve of iron formed in Sunni's eyes as she stood, hair darkening with her powers.

"We're gonna get 'em back Jay. Don't worry."

Eli looked confused, although, the look was hard to pull of for the child who's hair was spiked with black and dark purple. "How're we going to do that?"

"We're nine mutant children with superpowers Eli. We might not be perfect like Mary Sue's, but we can accomplish anything once we set our minds to it. Althoug, we are going to need some help."

Gabe shrugged. "We don't have any other choice; Sunni, we've gotta go get the Bat."

The oldest girl groaned and made a face. God-damnit, why did the world have to hate her?


	17. Chapter 17

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunni loaded all the little ones into their car seats, her mouth a grim slash of determination. The center row of the Escalade was a single line of infants, safety approved car seats cradeling their fragile bodies carefully. Jaylon, Camden, and Jasper were all seated in the very back row, argueing over the limited space. Gabe was riding with Sunni, face stoic and jaw clenched as he stared ahead in the passenger. Eli was driving the General, carrying a walkie-talkie so he could communicate with his older sister.

"Be careful; the throttle's been a little bit touchy lately. And don't try anything that could potentially get you killed."

Electric blue eyes rolled in Eli's skull, showing the exasperation that the boy was feeling. "Don't worry. I've got the wolves with me."

As if to prove his point, Steel trotted up to the nine year old's side, amber eyes returning to their normal bright and alert state. **Don't worry Sunni. We'll get the rest of the pack and keep Eli safe. Fang says that the others won't object at all.**

**Thanks Steel. Take it easy though. I'm still worried about that shoulder.**

Steel snorted, but it came out more like a raspy sneeze than a snort. **Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Snow's about to have a coniption though. **

Chuckling despite the situation, Sunni hugged Eli tightly, whispering, "Be safe."

"I'm more worried about Ivy."

Nodding in agreement, the teen separated from her brother and leapt into the Cadillac. As the key turned, the powerful engine roared to life. With a purr, the SUV pulled out onto the road and shot off through the city. It was time to get the one man that Sunni hated above almost all others; the Batman.

The walkie-talkie that was clutched tightly in her hand sprung to life with static. Eli's voice came in with a key note of determination in it. "I'm on my way to the zoo. Wish me luck."

"Get along little Speedster. We'll meet you at Police Headquarters. I love you."

"Love you too Sunni."

_Joker's Hideout-7:00 p.m._

An eerie cackle resounded through an abandoned toy factory, sending chills up the spines of all those who heard. The high-pitched laughter made Ivy cringe as she and Eddie were dragged into the building. Burly men with muscles the size of melons held tightly to their arms, physically shoving them towards a high, concrete dais. It used to be the control platform, but Joker had added his own personal touch to the drab structure...spray paint style.

Day-Glo paint was splattered all over the grey, various colors of purple, green, and red illuminating the darkness of the old building. The crimson paint was the exact same color of the Joker's lips, still curled into his trademark manic grin.

That grin; it disgusted both Ivy and Eddie. The Joker was annoying, appalling, and idiotic all at the same time. He was irritating beyond belief, always laughing and making jokes about the most retarded of things. Harley may have found him charming, but to her best friends he was an abomination.

A sudden wince from Ivy made Eddie growl. The man behind her had jerked Ivy's arm painfully upwards, as if he was trying to dislocate her arm. "Hey! Stop it you brute! Don't you know it's not polite to hit a lady?"

His own goon popped Edward's arm from behind, making him grimace. "Shut up Riddles."

Harley bounded up from behind the rest of them, smiling despite all that had happened. "PUDDIN'!"

"Harley girl! How've ya' been?"

The harlequin was now resting comfortably on her boyfriend's lap, her head tucked in the crook of his neck. "I've been fine Puddin'. Red n' Ed have been takin real good care of me."

From the shadows stepped Two-Face, his eyes gleaming almost as brightly as his partner's were. "Can I leave now? I've got things to do."

Another cackle. "Aww! But Facey! You're gonna miss my new friend, Slicey!"

Confusion crossed Dent's face, transforming into terror as a scrawny man stepped out behind them. His bald head gleamed, the sallow skin stretched taught across his skull. Tally-mark scars were all around his body, low lighting making the tissue look horribly thick and painful. But what was creepiest about the man was his eyes; they were animalistic and bloodthirsty, making the insane sparkle in Joker's eyes look tame. It was Victor Zsasz.

"Victor? I thought he left after the breakout."

Joker shook his head, green hair swaying. "Nope. Slicey's been with me for a while. He's going to take care of Itchy and Riddles for me. Won't that be fun?"

The look on Harley's face was horrified, her blue eyes sparkling with concern for her friends. "Puddin' you can't kill them! Red's got responsibilities!"

Zsasz shuffled towards Ivy, balancing his rusty blade in the center of his palm. Wide and terrified eyes reguarded the scrawney form of the serial killer. The goons that had held onto Nygma and Ivy released them, quickly backing away from the pair. Ivy sidled close to Eddie, clutching onto his hand. Against his usual character, Edward pulled her close, putting himself between Ivy and Victor.

When he spoke, Zsasz's voice came out in a whispery rasp, full of mad pleasure. "I want your blood."

Growling, Edward held onto Ivy tighter, burying her against him. "Piss off Zsasz."

Madness gleamed brighter in his eyes as the murderer crept closer. Two-Face retracted, backing out with a snapped orders to his men, leaving the pair to their fate. Harley was desperate to get Ivy and Eddie away from the blade-wielding man before them. She struggled and kicked, pleading with her Puddin' to let her go. Joker only cackled, saying that Itchy and Riddles deserved it.

Ivy closed her eyes, refusing to let the tears that welled there fall. Whispered words barely reached Edward's ears, but what she said made his heart clench painfully. "I broke my promise. I'm sorry babies."

Eddie kept from crying, but he stroked her hair and silently begged whatever powers there might be that help was coming. Thankfully, there was.

_Eli and the pack-4:50 p.m._

The General floated through the traffic, carrying Eli closer to the Gotham Zoo. Soon, he was whipping into the parking lot, coming to a stop just before the front gates. The heavy wrought iron was imposing, but it hardly posed a threat to them. The bars were wide enough that Eli and the wolves would easily slip through.

Turning, the boy grinned at his wolf friends and said, "So you ready?"

They all growled, wagging their tails and bouncing out of the car after him. Eli ran through the bars, the pack on his heels, and headed for the wolf exhibit. He refrained from using his superspeed because of the wolves, but he was becoming impatient. Why did they have to have the rest of the pack when Mom and Eddie were probably being tortured by a psychopath?

That thought burned through his mind as he navigated the menagerie that Gotham called a zoo. Monkey chattered, lions roared, and zebras hiccupped at him as he weaved through the various enclosures, looking for the wolves. The map said they were close to the hyenas, and soon they were passing the giggling beasts. Eli stared at them with distaste, but kept moving towards the sound of the wolves' growling/

Soon, he figured out why Fang had told Sunni to grab the rest of the pack. There were at least six more wolves in the enclosure, all huge and well-fed. The number of wolves here would scare the pants off of that stupid thug!

The largest was a tawny female with deep chocolate brown legs. Other wolves were almost her size, but they gave Eli the empresion that they were still adolescents, and hadn't finished growing yet. The female's tail wagged when she saw Fang and the others, greeting them through their pack connection.

**Fang! What are you doing with a human?**

**Thalia, we've come to get you and the others. The human boy is our friend, and he and his family needs our help.**

**Count us in. I'm sick of running in the same place over and over again. **

Eli leapt into the enclosure with the wolves, Steel and Snow flanking him on either side. The alpha wolf stayed up top, howling and sending orders to his pack. They howled as one, following the boy as broke the lock on their enclosure door. Surprisingly, there was no one there to stop him, as almost all the zoo employees were at a funeral.

For the rest of his life, Eli would never forget the cacophony of howls that resounded as that pack followed him. The powerful and free sound sent chills up his spine, the astounding wildness of it reminding the boy just how dangerous these creatures could be. The world around them blurred as he and the pack ran, the howl still echoing through the empty zoo. Silvers, tawnys, blacks, and amazing chesnuts blurred together in the pelts of the pack, forming a solid wall of wild power.

Thalia, Fang's mate, ran by his side, following Eli as he lead them to the General. **So why are we following this child? He isn't pack.**

The tone of her mate was gentle, but firm, leaving no room for arguement or discussion. **His older sister is pack. And he and his siblings are wise; they are more like wolves than humans. Believe me, the youngest one healed Steel with a touch, and one stayed with me when I was injured. **

**Okay. **

Eli reached the General, stopping and opening the door for the canine mass behind him. The ones that had been in the zoo were hesistant, but with some encouragement from Fang and Snow, they leapt into the car. Sliding back into the car, he fired up the engine with roar. The car was filled with hot wolf bodies and the smell of raw meat, but somehow all nine managed to fit into the Charger.

Resting quietly in Eli's lap, Snow nudged him gently, mentally telling the child that everything was going to be okay now. He seemed to get the message, because he began to stroke her ears with one hand, whispering, "We're gonna get Mom and the others back Snow. I can feel it."

Sunni's voice came in over the walkie-talkie, staticky and deeper, but unmistakable all the same. "Eli? Didja' get em?"

"I've got the pack sis. I'm on my way to Police Headquarters."

"Good. Hurry up though. I've called the Bat, and he should be here any moment."

The tone in his older sister's voice told Eli that she was less than happy with the prospect of meeting the dark vigilante again, which he found incredibly funny. Trying not to laugh, Eli responded right away.

"Affirmative Sis. I'll be there in five."

_Police Headquarters-5:00_

Watching the dying light of the Sun, a fourteen year old child waited for her younger brother and a certain superhero impatiently. God, why did Eli pick today of all days to be slow?

The others sat out of the way, watching their sister with concern. Gabe had multiplied himself and was holding all the infants, while Jaylon held onto Camden and Jasper. The smaller boys looked to their older brother, confused as to what Sunni was doing.

Surprisingly, the usually silent Jaylon spoke first, his quiet voice laced with apprehension. "Gabe, when are we going to get Mommy?"

Grudgingly, Gabe had to admit that it was a good question. They couldn't wait forever. For all they knew, Joker was siccing Two-Face or, worse, Zsasz on Eddie and Ivy.

"I don't know Buddy. I don't know."

Just as he said that, three shadows dropped from a higher building, landing lightly behind Sunni. The largest was Batman; tall and imposing with thick muscles nearly ripping through his spandex costume. Beside him stood Nightwing, his midnight black hair falling down his back as he stood to Batman's left. The final face was a young Robin, who stood staring at the children so close to his age.

Batman spoke first, his voice deep and ominous. "What do you want Sunni?"

Calmly, the fourteen year old turned to look at the Dark Knight and his comrades. "I want your help."

Robin snorted. "Why would we help you? You nearly killed Batman a just the other night!"

Fury flashed across Sunni's face now, but she kept her tone level. "If you don't, Joker's going to murder Poison Ivy and Riddler in cold blood. I can't let that happen."

Through the mask, Nightwing's expression was one of confusion. "Why do you want to help them?"

"Because they kept us fed and happy and loved for over two weeks now. Our lives were a living hell with Dad, and none of us want to be alone."

Silence permeated the air, the tension around the vigilante's palpable. Now Jasper walked up to them, tapping on Batman's leg. Tears filled his little eyes as he whispered, "Please help Mommy Batman. I miss her."

Just then, Eli burst onto the roof, an entire pack of wolves on his supersonic heels. "What'd I miss?"

Nightwing pulled Batman aside, discussing something with him in hushed tones. Soon they turned back to the others, Robin actually speaking with Sunni on a friendly basis. Powerful and cool, Dick Grayson, a.k.a Nightwing, said, "Alright. We'll help you."


	18. Chapter 18

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Batman, Robin, and Nightwing stood to the side, watching with amazement as Sunni had all the wolves line up. Fang, Steel, and Snow had already been introduced, but now the others had to be identified and remembered. Mentally, Sunni spoke with the wolves, not surprised at the confusion in their thoughts. The largest female, the alpha, was the first to approach the wolf-like human.

**My name is Thalia. You are the one of which Fang speaks so highly?**

**Yes. I'm Sunni, and I'm proud to meet you, but I need to hurry up because I have some friends that need help.**

With that, the teen moved on, studying the young male before her carefully. He was large, almost the same size as Steel, and had a bright silvery coat. It wasn't nearly as dark as Steel's was, instead it was almost the same color as a silver bar. His bright eyes gazed at Sunni inquisitively, happy and serene at the same time.

**I'm Lyall. Am I correct to assume that you're my new packmate?**

A smile. **Yep. I'm Sunni. It's a pleasure to meet you Lyall. But I have to meet your other packmates, so I can't speak for very long.**

**I understand.**

**Thanks buddy.**

Sunni moved on, standing before a small female wolf. She was petite, gentle, and quiet with soft, doe-like eyes. Her pelt was a deep chocolate brown and she tilted her head, staring at the teen that stood before her.

**What's your name little one?**

**I'm Dea. What's yours?**

**Sunni. It's been nice speaking with you. **

**Same here.**

The next wolf was mysterious to say the least. His head was turned away, but the girl could feel that he was concentrating very hard on her, scrutinizing with utmost care. Black fur that was deeper than even Fang's covered the young male's body. Eyes the color of molten lava surveyed Sunni as the male turned and stared at her. Shadows seemed to dance in their depths, as if the creature was made of darkness itself.

**I am Drake. That's all you need to know.**

That settled it then. With a respectful nod, Sunni returned to survey the last two wolves. The biggest was male, but he was pure white, just like Snow. His eyes were a clear crystal blue, reminding the girl painfully of Harley. Docile and utterly calm, this wolf introduced himself as Akin. His sister, Ziva, stood close by him. She was a bright chesnut color. The ginger of her pelt off-set the bright sparkling green of her eyes.

Turning back to the others, Sunni plastered on a grim expression and said roughly, "Alright. Let's rock and roll."

With that, Fang started to howl, his pack following suit. The powers Sunni possessed flared to life at the sound, making the girl seem dark and incredibly ominous. Robin nearly suddered as he watched. Damn this was getting creepy.

Nightwing stepped forward. "We need to make a plan. Do you know where Ivy and the Riddler are at?"

Running quickly up to the man, Eli said, "Two-Face broke out with Joker right? And Joker hates both Eddie and Mom, so he probably went to his hideout!"

Somewhat taken aback, Nightwing stared at the nine year old before him. Gaping, he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it after a moment. Robin asked the question that had been begging to leave his older counterpart's lips instead.

"Did you just call Ivy Mom?"

"Yeah. What does it matter to you Spandex-Butt?"

Robin growled, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth at the younger boy before him. Just before his young sidekick decided to do something that would most likely be considered abusive, Batman stepped forward and stated that he might have an idea where Joker was hiding. He had apprehended Scarecrow the day before, and with a little persuasion, the former professor had spilled his guts about where he had been with Joker and Zsasz.

Nodding, Sunni gathered up her brothers and started heading for the door that lead off of the roof. "We'll follow you."

"Wait. You can't drive."

Slowly, the teen turned, giving Batman the most incredilous look that anyone could ever pull off.

"Dude, were you not paying attention just the other night? I was kicking you butt behind the wheel. I graduated high-school at age twelve dude. I'm pretty sure that I could do anything I sit my mind to, I just choose not to because I'm lazy."

With a flip of her hair and a sharp order to her brothers, Sunni was off again, heading down towards the cars. Nightwing stared after her, his mouth agap with amazement. "Dude, that chick just pawned your ass."

"Dick, watch your language."

_On the road-Destination: Joker's hideout_

The Escalade shot down the backroads of outer Gotham, following behind the Batmobile with ease that was frightening to the vigilantes. Every so often Nightwing would look back, trying to determine how the girl was doing it. Robin was thoroughly impressed with Sunni's skills, and was commenting on it every so often. What none of them realized was just how upset and anxious the children following them were.

Hands that were hard and sweaty clutched at the wheel of the SUV and shining amber eyes stared angrily at the road ahead. Gabe watched her warily from the passenger seat as the others cried in the backseat. They wanted Ivy. It was scary to think about Ivy dying and leaving them alone again.

The tears of her younger brothers did nothing to soothe Sunni's ever growing anger. Eli was still riding with the wolf pack, and thankful for it. The presence of his furry friends was calming, making the nine year old relax ever so slightly. Thalia sat with Fang in the passenger seat, eyeing Eli warily. Ever so often he would smile at her, speaking to her like he would any members of his family.

**This boy seems nice. I think I will enjoy his presence. **

**Eli is a good human, wise beyond his years. You and the pups will like him and his brothers.**

Speaking of Eli, the nine year old turned to the wolves, his face grim. "We're here guys."

They were outside the old toy factory, the words _Wacko Toy Company _now faded and chipping away from the concrete. A large, leering clown's head hung over the double doors. The huge painted head gave everyone the creeps. This place was absolutely perfect for Joker's hideout.

The heroes leapt out of the Batmobile, watching as Sunni and Eli pulled their cars up behind them, utterly silent. The discussion that took place before Sunni bailed out of the SUV was sober and sad, but crucial none the less.

"You guys stay here. I don't want you getting hurt."

Gabe looked hurt. "I'm not going to let you go alone and have all the fun!"

"This is not open for discussion Gabe. I want you to stay here and take care of the little ones."

"No!"

A dark snarl escaped Sunni's throat as she whipped around to face Gabe. "DON'T ARGUE WITH ME! I CAN'T LET YOU GET HURT!"

Silence pervaded the air after the outburst. Jaylon and Camden held each other, sniffling quietly as they stared at their older sister. Sighing, Sunni opened the door and said quietly, "Sorry guys, but I'm going solo this time."

With that, the door slammed, shutting Gabe and his brothers in the car alone. Eli was already standing with Robin, chattering away about what he could do with his powers. The pack sat nearby, tense and ready for almost anything. Mentally, she called out to Fang and Thalia, trying to get her bearings about what was in the building.

**Do you guys smell anything?**

Cocking her head slightly, Thalia answered the question. **There a really funny smell coming from in there. It's like the smell you get when the guards at the zoo come around to check.**

Well that confirmed it. **Thanks Thalia. **

**You're welcome. **

Striding up to Batman and the others, Sunni stated plainly, "He's in there all right. Thalia can smell gunpowder."

A frown showed in the lines around the Dark Knight's mouth. "How do you know?"

"I talk to the wolves telepathically. I'm a genetically mutated freak now, remember?"

Nodding, Eli agreed with his sister completely, emphatically backing his sister up on all claims of powers. Just as a demonstration, he started to buzz, moving at supersonic speeds until the ground beneath him began to smoke. Now all of them had to admit that Mr. Amyx really had lost it and experimented on his kids.

Robin was freaking out, but silently so that he wouldn't alert anyone to their presence. "How did he do that to you!"

"It was some sort of gaseous drug. I suspect that it entered our soft tissues, blood, and muscle through inhalation. Then it probably mutated our genes it overloaded our system, giving us powers."

Everyone stared at Sunni, who rolled her eyes and growled. "Dude, what part of graduated at twelve didn't you understand? I'm a genius when I want to be. It's just that I don't want to act like a nerd constantly."

Batman was the first to snap out of it, shaking his head and saying grimly, "So how do we get in?"

"Well there are windows all along the top, with a grate underneath for maintenance. You guys should be able to get in from there. I'll stay down here with the pack, and Eli will stay here with his brothers. Won't you Eli?"

The dangerous gleam in Sunni's glowing eyes made the superspeedster boy think twice about argueing. "Sure."

"Good boy."

With a grin, Sunni turned to the vigilantes and said, "Let's go kick some Joker ass."

"Language young lady."

"Ya-bul!"

Nightwing grabbed Robin and took a running leap at the building, pulling out a grappling weapon as he flew through the air. The metal gripped the window, reeling both the current and former Robins into the old factory. Batman left next, taking off with a silent swirl of his cape. Not surprisingly, Eli snuck along with him, moving so fast that all he looked like was a multi-colored blur. They went up the other side of the concrete block that was the Joker's hideout.

Crouching with the pack, Sunni communicated telepathically. **Get ready to fight guys.**

Steel and Drake stepped up close to her, staring forward with raised hackles. **We were born ready to fight Sunni. It's in the blood of the pack."**

The alphas sat before the teenage human that was their packmate, looking calmly into her eyes. **You were born ready too, little one. You are a fighter, just like a wolf. Just like the pack. **

**Thanks Fang.**

A sudden yell from inside sent Sunni screeching forward, the others right on her heels. Horrible, blood-thirsty howls emitted from them as they busted through the old metal door. Observing the scene before her, the teen roared out in the true voice of a wolf, chilling all the others to the bone.

"THE FIGHT'S ON BABY!"


	19. Chapter 19

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Eli ran past Batman, the wind blowing his face and filling the nine year old full of re-invigorating energy. The Dark Knight was far behind by the time he stopped on a steel grate. The platform overlooked the entire factory, clearly displaying everything that was going on below. What he saw made Eli's blood boil.

Below, the Joker was sitting on a makeshift throne, Harley strugling in his lap and desperately trying to get to Ivy and Eddie. Two-Face and his goons were backing away from the captured villains, terror creeping onto their features as they watched the psycho known as Victor Zsasz advance. He was saying something, but Eli couldn't make it out, as the building made everything softer as it traveled upward. Eddie was trying to protect Ivy, placing himself between her and Zsasz's blade.

His voice drifted upwards, now clear as Edward growled, "Piss off Zsasz."

The murderer growled right back, raising his fist to deliver a blow to the helpless villains before him. He never got to though, as the strike was stopped by a furious flash of supersonic boy. Zsasz was knocked to the ground, being repeatidly punched and kicked by an angry Eli.

"DON'T TOUCH THEM YOU PSYCHO!"

From the window, Batman called up to Robin and Nightwing, "Our cover's blown!"

A loud wail and screech eminated from the door, Sunni and the pack bursting through with a roar. The teen leading the way was a vision straight out of hell, eyes burning brightly with wild energy. Her dark hair seemed to swirl as she roared, "THE FIGHT'S ON BABY!"

A horrible howl reverberated from the pack as they attacked as one, latching onto the hired thugs with ferocious power. Drake and Steel were absolutely ripping the men apart, savagely slashing with their fangs. Batman swooped down and dragged the stunned Ivy and Eddie away from the scene. Nightwing and Robin were going after Two-Face, who had fled as soon as he saw his men start to lose huge chunks of flesh.

Eli was still fighting with Zsasz, blinking blood and sweat from his eyes as he ducked, dodged, and weaved away from the wall of psychotic fury that was Victor. The older man had managed to get in a few lucky strikes, slashing the boy's flesh unti the white gleam of bone could be seen through the gashes. They littered his arms and one was on his forehead, but still Eli fought on. To say he was in a rage would have been the understatement of the century.

With each word he spoke, Eli punctuated it with a strong punch or kick, using his momentum and speed to give it more bite. "DON'T..."

A punch to the face, knocking Zsasz to the floor. "EVER..."

The roundhouse kick Eli delivered to his gut made the psycho fall back onto the concrete. "TOUCH MY..."

"MOM!" A fist that had the force of a seventy-pound lead weight slammed into Zsasz's skull, knocking him out cold and causing him to concuss. Panting, Eli stood over him, waiting for a moment, before stumbling off to help Sunni get the Joker. Thalia and Fang were now holding down a thouroughly terrified Two-Face, who looked at the wolves atop his chest with an ever growing panic.

Sunni had Ziva, Drake, and Lyall with her, stalking up the dias to where Joker now sat. Harley sat stock-still as she watched the teen and her new comrades approach, widening her eyes with terror as she noted the blood covering them. A snarl formed on Sunni's lips, showing long canines that were coated in crimson. The voice that reverberated through the harlequin's ears wasn't the one of Sunni, but of something that was much more ancient and deadly.

"Get off of him Harley."

"No."

The girl shook with barely surpressed fury. The tone that she spoke in was horrifyingly malicious. "Move Harley. Don't make me hurt you too."

"I'm not going to let you turn into a killer Sunni."

Suddenly, a grin split the teen's bloodstained-face and she began to laugh. It was quiet at first, but it rose in volume until it drowned out every other sound present in the factory. As soon as it started, the cold laughter stopped, and Sunni fixed Harley with a stare that was hypnotic and deadly. "I hate to break it to you Harley, but I'm already a killer."

Joker pushed his girlfriend off of him with contempt, standing and brushing dust from his purple suit. "Kid, you've got guts. But you've got nothing on me. I'll kill you before you can take two steps towards me."

With a blast of air, Eli was standing beside his sister, arms crossed defiantly and an irate look plastered to his normally angelic features. "I don't think so Joker. I'm faster than you ever will be. I would knock the gun out of your hand and have you on the floor before you could say 'clown'."

A single eyebrow raised on the Clown Prince of Crime's face, the stark white of his skin glowing in the dim light. Drake's hackles raised as he growled, speaking to Sunni cautiously. **He's planning something. Be on your toes.**

Imperceptible, Sunni nodded and watched the Joker carefully. His eyes darted over to where Ivy and Eddie stood, the ever-present sparkle in them flaring as he reached for a pistol at his side. Almost instantly, the kids knew what was going to happen. Incidently, so did Edward and Batman.

Joker whipped out the pistol, aiming at Ivy and pulling off three rounds before he was tackled by three wrathful wolves. Nightwing and Robin whipped around when they heard the shots, followed by an agonized cry from someone. There stood Edward, blood blossoming across his shirt in three separate places. He collapsed into Ivy's arms, coughing as he gasped for breath. Tears coarsed down Ivy's face as she caught him, gently lowering him to the floor.

"Robin! Call a bus and get the first aid kit out of the Batmobile!"

"Yessir!"

The Boy Wonder ran off, sprinting to get help. Utter resentment and fury crossed Sunni's face as she rounded on Joker, who was screaming as Drake held him in place. "You JACKASS! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD!"

Harley sprang to her feet, grabbing the girl by her shoulders and shaking her hard. "Sunni look at me! This isn't you! Calm down and think for a moment. Use the giant noodle God gave ya!"

Recognition flashed in those bright amber eyes. The wild glowing soon faded back to the normal hazel that she possessed, and Sunni started to cry, sinking into Harley's grasp and sobbing. "I didn't mean to Harl. I didn't mean to."

"I know sweetheart. I know."

Meanwhile, Eddie was lying on the floor, sticky, hot blood pooling in his chest like liquid fire. He coughed and sputtered, trying to force adequate amounts of oxygen into his lungs. His head was propped up on Ivy's lap as she stroked his hair and cried, whispering that everything was going to be okay. A large hand came up and touched her cheek, smearing it with more of Edward's blood. He smiled slightly, managing to choke out a single sentence before the sound of ambulance sirens wailed into exsistence.

"Lying to yourself isn't going to help me Ivy."

The paramedics soon burst in, nearly ripping the woman away from Eddie. The police were hot on their tails, taking Joker, Zsasz, and Two-Face into custody. They were amazed as the wolves willingly gave their victims up, offering the injured psychos up to the law. They tried to take Harley and Ivy, but Batman and Nightwing stopped a detective before he could slap the cuffs on the women.

The large man was irate, bristling as he said, "And why the hell can't I take em?"

The blatent hostility didn't affect Batman in the slightest as he calmly replied, "They have other responsibilities to take care of."

Just as he opened his mouth to argue, the detective was cut off by a bunch of boys running into the old factory, nearly knocking him over in their desperate attempt to reach Ivy. There seemed to be a bunch of triplets, each one wearing the same expression, but carrying a different baby. The others were much smaller, but no less effective at getting the rather obese cop out of their way. One, a small boy of about three, was crying, holding out his arms and hugging the woman as soon as he reached her.

"Mommy!"

Even more tears flowed from Ivy's eyes and she stroked the toddler's hair, whispering, "It's okay Jasper. Mommy's here."

The others gathered around, each trying to get a hug from the plant villainess. The detective scratched his head, muttering something about the world turning upside down. The police soon left, and once again no one but the vigilantes, the pack, and the family were there.

Robin rubbed the back of his neck, coming up to Ivy and saying, "I have a question. Why didn't you just use your plant powers? That would've busted the idiots pretty easily."

The boy Robin recognized as Gabe handed Ivy the little red-head, resting his head on her shoulder. Baleful green eyes looked up at the vigilantes, and Ivy whispered, "I couldn't. There aren't any plants in the soil, and I can't make plants grow on concrete without my special seeds."

Hayden snuggled into Ivy's arms, sucking on his thumb and cooeing as she stroked his hair. Batman nodded, grasping Nightwing by the shoulder and pulling him away from the scene. Dick was about to freak out, but Bruce managed to get him away before he could.

"Just let it go Dick. Let it go."

"But..."

The glare Batman sent at him was withering, so Dick shut his mouth tightly. Robin soon came running back in, a cellphone clutched tightly in his hand. "Hey, I just called the hospital. They've got Riddler..."

Ivy cut him off. "Eddie."

"Right, Eddie. Well, they've gotten him stabilized and he's in surgery. They said that his chances are good."

Smiling, Ivy muttered something under her breath and holding onto the kids tightly. Harley came over with Sunni, the wolves following behind. "I think we'd better go home."

Standing, Ivy agreed. The plant villainess strode over to Batman and Nightwing, giving each of them a hug. "Thank you."

Taken aback, both of the men were silent, gaping at the smaller woman who had just thanked them. "Uh...you're welcome."

Soon, the entire family was striding out the door, leaving the heroes alone. It was strange, but now Ivy felt...empty. Something was missing, making a hole in her heart as she drove the kids home. It nagged at the back of her mind until she reached home, making Ivy scratch her head in irritation. Then it hit her.

Eddie. He was what was missing. Harley noticed the look on Ivy's face as they got the kids ready for bed, slowly taking Howard from her grasp and whispering, "Go see him Red. I'll stay with the kids."

"Thanks Harl."

She shrugged, watching as Ziva and Akin curiously stared at Jaylon and Camden. "Ah. What'r friends for?"


	20. Chapter 20

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

After another nerve wracking trip, Ivy reached the hospital, parking the Charger out front and running in. She was wearing a plain pair of jeans and a light green blouse, but even the Plain-Jane clothes couldn't truly hide her appearance from all the people in the hospital. Somehow she had forgotten about her green skin and tell-tale red hair, and hadn't bothered to disguise it. Now she was beginning to regret that particular decision.

The nurse that was sitting at the administration desk blanched, shaking as Ivy approached her. "Y-you're not here to hurt us are you?"

Rolling her eyes, Ivy huffed slightly and said, "I'm not going to kill you, so you can quit acting like I'm going to blow up at any moment."

"What're you here for?"

"I'm here to see Edward Nygma. What room is he in?"

Even though her hands were still shaking, the small woman tried to be professional and typed the famous Riddler's actual name in the database. "He in room 502."

Ivy nodded and took off for the elevators, ignoring the stares and heated whispers that resounded through the stale air. The antiseptic smell made her nauseous, but still she pressed further into the hospital, rising to the third floor. Edward had been moved from intensive care to a regular room, but the villainess was still nervous about seeing him.

He saved her life. Those bullets were intended to land squarely in the middle of her chest, but instead Eddie had taken them. Now he was lying in a hospital bed, probably out cold and high on a morphine drip. The sound of the brass hitting his body still resounded in her mind, making Ivy cringe slightly. The hallways seemed to blur together, forming a solid wall of white that was only penetrated by the stark black letters that were on the rooms.

500. 501. Finally, here was 502. Silently, she crept in the room, feet not making a sound on the polished tile. Tears threatened to spring to life once again as Ivy gazed on Eddie's sleeping form. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his chest, gauze pads clearly visible under the meshy bindings. An IV fed painkillers into his left arm and an nasal canula helped the injured man force oxygen into his lungs.

The sight was pitiful to say the least. This man had been awake, healthy, and strong not six hours ago; now he was lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Like the mythical elves of Middle Elves, Ivy crept closer to the bed. She pulled up a chair and sat on his right side, grasping his hand gently and stroking it with her thumb. The skin was warm, much to Ivy's pleasure, and soft to the touch. Eddie's face relaxed slightly as she rubbed his skin, perfectly smoothing over his cheekbones.

The hospital chair was hard-backed and uncomfortable, forcing Ivy to shift constantly in her quest to find the perfect resting position. She soon gave up, resorting to leaning forward and resting her head against the injured Riddler's arm. His breath was constant and soothing, lulling Ivy into a sleepy stupor. She tried to keep her eyes open. She really did. It was impossible though, the poor woman had been through a living nightmare. A good sleep was just what she needed.

_Dawn~December 5th_

In the next few hours, numerous doctors and nurses entered the room, checking on the progress of their patient and trying with all their might not to wake Ivy up. Pratitioners of medicine they may be, but they really didn't want to have to use that knowledge treating themselves. Sunlight was soon peeking through the plastic blinds, streaming into the room and landing on Eddie's face.

A grunt sounded in the small room. It didn't wake Ivy up, but it was enough to make her stir slightly. Eddie opened his eyes, squinting and trying to focus on his rather bland surroundings. He looked left. All he could see there was white and grey, nothing discernable through the funky psychadelic effect that his medication was having on him at that particular moment. The same thing could be said about what was directly in front of his face. Fuzzy images of bland grey's and whites assaulted the injured man's tender eyesight, making him squint before returning to his quest to find color.

Eddie was successful when he looked to his right. Bright red hair was there, cutting sharply through the bland colors that he had witnessed previously. The silky strands shone in the light like a copper penny, capturing the somewhat high man and not allowing him to look away. Through the carroty mass Eddie could see a face. It was a beautiful face, with flawless skin and delicately carved features. Wait.

The skin was green. Green skin. Where had he seen that before? Then it hit him. Ivy.

The previous night's events came back to him in a rush, shooting sharp spikes of pain into the Riddler's brain.

_It was dark. Sunni and a lot of wolves were absolutely destroying the goons of Two-Face and Joker. Blood was everywhere, coating every surface that he could see with crimson. The liquid was sickeningly sweet smelling, nearly making him gag as he and Ivy were swept off to the side. For once Batman was on their side, actually protecting them as the horrible fight continued. Eli and Zsasz were duking it out, the boy kicking the crap out of the psychopathic killer._

_There was shouting and screaming and howling all around him, so he tried to block it out. Ivy clung onto him silently. She was a brave woman, but right now her body was shaking hard. He held her close, hoping that she would find some comfort from the simple gesture. Sunni had cornered Joker on his dais, her voice growling out over the now silent air. _

_Fear; he could feel it pulsing through him and Ivy both. Sunni wasn't that sweet girl that they had taken care of any more. She was something else in this state, something that was much more powerful and deadly. That power now rang through the air as she ordered Harley to move. The harlequin wouldn't budge, though, and she simply sat on Joker's lap. Thankfully, her boyfriend took it upon himself to dispose of her, uncerimoniously dropping her to the floor._

_The conversation that followed buzzed idly through his head as he watched. Something was up. He didn't know what, but Joker was planning something. It hit him as soon as the clown pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Ivy. He had a split second to react, but he moved anyways. He put himself in the path of the bullets, pushing Ivy backwards as three shots rang out. _

_Pain radiated through his chest, spreading like fire as the bullets crashed in his body. It was horrible. He fell backwards, gasping for breath and coughing up blood. He couldn't breathe. Ivy was holding him, stroking his hair and whispering that it was going to be alright. Something close to amusement flickered in his mind as he reached up and touched her face. He said something, but the horrible pounding in his ears drowned it out. _

_Then he was floating...floating...drifting._

A sudden shift from Ivy brought Edward back to the real world. His vision had cleared significantly, and he could now discern the look of agitation on her face. Gently, he reached out and touched her on the shoulder, trying to whisper her name. It came out as a bit of a hiss, but the word was recognizable all the same.

"Ivy."

The woman in question jolted awake, poison green eyes wide and darting around the room. They locked onto him, slighty scared and somewhat confused. Recognition then flashed in their depths and Ivy sighed, smiling with relief.

"Good. You're awake."

"I could say the same thing about you my dear."

Sitting up, Ivy stretched luxuriously. She yawned as she leaned forward, smiling at Eddie. "How are you doing?"

"I've been better. But I've been worse too."

"I see your brains are back. You were babbling nonsense at the factory."

Eddie tried to shrug, but he gasped as pain shot through his torso. Ivy stood, concern evident on her features. She started to call a nurse, but the gasping man stopped her. "No. I'm fine."

He patted the bed beside him as the sharp throbbing in his side faded, lifting an arm gingerly as Ivy sat beside him. Gently, she lay her head against his shoulder, reveling in the tingling sensation she felt as Edward wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The minutes rolled by in silence, but it wasn't at all awkward.

"Ed."

"What?"

"Why do you keep risking your butt for me?"

For a moment, there was another silence, Edward pondering the question. Then came Ivy's answer. "If I didn't keep risking my butt, then you probably wouldn't be sitting with me right now. I couldn't let that happen, now could I?"

_Ivy's House; 8:30 a.m._

Sunni scrubbed herself frantically, her skin red and raw from the scalding water and friction. The water was a pinkish color from the blood coming off of her body. The sights and smells made her nauseous, but it was the memory of the previous night that made the tears spring up. She had killed all those men.

It made her feel like a complete monster.

From outside the door, Harley's voice floated into the bathroom. "Sunni, we're going to the hospital to see Riddles. You wanna come?"

The horrible moment of Eddie's injury flashed into the teen's mind. It nearly made her knees crumple up, but she managed to call out, "No. I think I'll stay here."

"Suit yourself."

:0000:

Harley padded away from the bathroom, worried about Sunni. She was so quiet. The boys had been quiet at first, but they had come back around after sleeping. Sunni, however, hadn't slept a wink. The new members of the pack were sitting in the living room with the boys, getting acquainted in their own personal way.

Ziva and Akin sat next to each other, wagging their tales as Jaylon and Camden rubbed their bellies. Thalia was with Fang and Steel as they lay on the couch with Eli and Gabe. Snow was playing with Jasper and the babies, obviously trying to show something to Dae and Lyall. The only wolf that wasn't associating with anybody was Drake. The dark wolf simply sat ridgidly in a corner, staring at the others with those crimson eyes of his.

A sharp whistle attracted the attention of everyone in the room. Once there was silence, Harley called out, "Alright boys! Let's load up and move out!"

That only word that can be used to describe what happened next is this; chaos. The complete and utter disarray that followed the mass of boys was mind-boggling, but the harlequin wouldn't have had it any other way. After about five minutes of squalling, yelling, and general wildness, they were ready to leave for the hospital.

Harley sighed as she leapt in the driver's seat. Boy, were these people going to get a surprise when they came. If she wasn't so childish herself, Harley would almost feel sorry for the hospital staff.


	21. Chapter 21

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Ivy and Eddie sat in silence for a while. It wasn't uncomfortable, but something seemed to be missing. Not even turning on the television and watching the news seemed to help. Although Ivy wasn't about to complain, as she was leaning against Ed's side. He was surprisingly warm, and she almost began to purr as he stroked his thumb across her arm. A sudden burst of noise coming from down the hallway reminded them both of what was missing; the kids and Harley weren't there.

A slight twinge of regret stabbed at Ivy as she listened to the racascious laughter eminating from the sterile halls. She hadn't even told them where she was going. Great; the feeling of guilt was now gnawing at her insides and it wouldn't let her go. Eddie must have known what she was thinking, and he squeezed her as hard as his injury would allow. "If you're really that worried about them, call and tell the boys where you are."

"How did you know I was thinking about the boys?"

Eddie smirked, the image of his old Riddler self shining through. "I've been living with you for almost two weeks Ivy. I know the look you get when you start worrying about the boys."

The suggestion was agreeable, so Ivy decided to grab her cellphone off of the bedside table. But something kept her from doing so. The noise; it was growing louder and forming into distinguishable voices. Voices that the villainess recognized, to be exact. Silently, she pressed into Eddie's side, stopping when she felt him wince beneath her. It was that gut-feeling that made Ivy stay where she was.

Gradually, a single voice rose above the rest, making Ivy smile. She would know that high-pitched Jersey accent anywhere. Harley soon marched in the room, the boys hot on her heels. Eli and Gabe were smiling at Eddie and Ivy, sniggering behind their hands from time to time. Jaylon and Camden followed them, a grin plastered to both of their faces. Harley was carrying Hayden and Howard, Miles walking shakily beside her with Jasper as his aid.

The harlequin had a slightly pompous smirk on her face as she sang out, "Surprise Red! I brought the boys to come see you and Ed!"

Eli snorted, saying mischievously, "Ya. She just didn't count on Mom and Riddles gettin' cozy on the bed!"

To emphasize his twin's point, Gabe started to make kissy faces, batting his eyelashes ridiculously. They then put their arms around each other and began to sing in an incredibly falsetto voice, "Ivy and Eddie sittn' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Riddles in a baby carriage!"

They started to laugh uproarously, falling to the sterile floor and leaning against each other as they giggled. Ivy leapt off the bed, her face flushed furiously. "That isn't funny! And we're in a public place, so you better straighten up!"

Immediately, the giggles stopped, the twins getting to their feet and looking at their Mom nervously. The slightly miffed woman ran her fingers through her hair and murmured, "Sorry boys. I'm just a little tired."

Toddling up to her, Jasper and Miles stared up at Ivy with large innocent eyes. The twelve month old wasn't completely articulate yet, but what he said made perfect sense to all the others in the room. "It's o'tay Mommy. We lo'es you anyway."

With a giggle, the auburn haired woman swept the little boys up into her arms, planting a gentle kiss on each of their foreheads. "Mommy loves you too, ya little imps! But don't you think that Eddie needs some love too?"

Jasper nodded soberly, his baby blue eyes shining. Miles was as stoic as ever, leaning into Ivy as she held him. Ever so gently, she sat both of them down, whispering something in their ears. The pair leapt up onto the bed, snuggling into Edward's side carefully and turning their gazes on the television above. The others soon joined, until the small hospital bed was swarmed with boys. Only Howard and Hayden remained with the women, firmly held in Harley's grasp.

Concern filled Ivy's face as she noticed that Sunni was missing. She turned to Harley, whispering so that the others wouldn't over-hear their conversation. "Where's Sunni?"

The blond hesitated slightly, looking everywhere but at Ivy. "Somethin's off Red. Sunni was, like, half-dead when we left. She didn't wanna come or anythin'. Do ya think that somethin's wrong with her?"

Turning to look at the door, Ivy replied, "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. I'll be back in a little while. Make sure the boys don't destroy anything that we might have to pay for."

_Ivy's House~9:00 a.m._

Sunni sat on the couch, staring ahead at the wall. She hadn't bothered to dress for the day, prefering to stay in her pajamas. The old t-shirt and flanel pants did nothing to stop her horrified shivering though, and the pack stared at her anxiously. Steel and Snow were snuggled up close to her, hoping that she'd find some comfort from their presence. Fang and Thalia sat in front of her, speaking to the traumatized girl soothingly.

**Come on Sunni. You did what you had to last night. If you hadn't have done it, those men might have killed Ivy and Eddie.**

**Fang's right, dear. You need to stop beating yourself up over what happened. **

Even in her mind, Sunni's voice was rough and hoarse. She sounded like a china doll that was about to shatter into a million pieces at any second.** I killed all those men guys. And I _liked _it. They were actual people, and I tore them to shreds like it was nothing. I even threatened Harley. **

Now Akin stepped up, firm and gentle just like his father, Fang, was. **Everyone makes mistakes, Sunni. The mistake doesn't matter. It's what you do afterwards that makes a difference.**

**Wise words, my son. **

**Thank you Father. **

Sunni snapped up, her eyes bright, angry, and full of tears. **You don't get it! I swore to protect my family. Harley's part of my family now and I came this close to ripping her throat out along with Joker's! I'm not me anymore. I'm turning into this evil, horrible monster and I don't like that.**

None of the wolves responded, but Snow snuggled in closer, resting her delicate head on Sunni's lap. Surprisingly, it was Drake who spoke next. The deep voice of the dark wolf was quiet, but it rang with power and authority. **Sunni. I know that it's difficult, but you've got to get through it. Without you, those boys don't have anything but the villains. **

That was all Drake got out before the sound of tires filled the air. Sunni didn't move. Whoever was there didn't concern her anymore. She just wanted to curl up in a ball and die.

Ivy entered the house, her eyes resting on the teenager curled up with the wolves. Slowly, Ivy walked forward, concerned by the completely robotic posture Sunni had taken. The pack of wolves parted before her as she strode towards the girl, Snow whimpering from where she rested on Sunni's lap.

"Sunni, are you alright sweety?"

The hazel-green eyes that were always so vibrant were now dead, staring blankly at Ivy. Carefully, Ivy lifted her hands up to Sunni's shoulders, shaking some sense into the teen. "Come on honey. What's the matter?"

Suddenly, Sunni lashed out, shoving Ivy to the ground. From the floor the woman stared up at her adopted daughter, stunned. The amber was back, angrily flashing for a moment as Sunni snarled. Whispering, Ivy tried to calm her down. "Sweetie, calm down."

Recognition flashed in Sunni's eyes and she dropped like a stone to the couch. She was shaking, sobbs wracking her thin frame as she leaned against Steel. Ivy leapt up from the floor, hugging Sunni fiercly.

"Shush. It's okay. It's okay."

"No it's not! I'm a monster. A monster."

Ivy curled up on the couch with Sunni, rocking the crying girl back and forth gently. Sunni sobbed uncontrollably, burying her face in her Mom's shoulder. "I'm sorry Mommy. I'm so sorry."

"Stop. You didn't mean to. It's alright."

They sat there for a while, the green villainess rocking her adopted daughter silently, trying to quiet her. After what seemed like a lifetime, Sunni pulled away and wiped her eyes. Her breath came in hitches, but she spoke clearly.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, why don't we go see Eddie?"

Sunni gave a watery smile, standing up from the couch and saying. "I'd like that."

_The Hospital~9:30_

Harley Quinn; if anyone in Gotham could use a single word to describe her, it would be childish. The woman had a Ph.D in psychology, was a successful doctor at Arkham for a while. But when she went nuts, the woman's psyche transformed into that of a seven year old's. Harley loved dolls and puppies and kittens and anything else taht she found to be cute or incredibly adorable.

Right now, that childishness came through. Harley was sitting on the floor with the kids, watching a cartoon with utmost attention. Her blond pigtails were under constant attack from Hayden and Howard, the small boys slapping them playfully as their caretaker watched _Invader Zim_. The others sat on the bed, either watching the cartoon or chatting with Edward. He might have been under a morphine drip, but the Riddler was fully alert and just as intelligent as he'd always been.

"My chest hurts a little bit, but the morphine keeps it from being too bad."

Eli nodded, looking down at the neatly sewn gashes on his arm. The paramedics had missed his injuries, but one of the nurses had nearly thrown a fit when she saw all the blood on his arm, and had whisked him away to stitch him up. It was painful, but nothing that he couldn't handle. His twin was examining the bandages around Eddie's torso, trying to see through the gauze to the wounds beneath.

"Did they get them out?"

"Oh yeah. I have them here in a jar if you want to keep 'em."

"No. I don't think I want to keep a coupla' bullet's that have been in my caretaker's chest."

A call buzzed through on the cellphone, making everyone in the room jump. Eli snatched it from the bedside table, opening it up and saying. "Hello?"

Ivy's voice came through, nervous and wavey. _"Eli? Sweetheart, your sister and I are on our way there. Would you tell Harley that we're bringing food for you guys?"_

"Sure Mom. How soon can you get here?"

_"It'll be about ten minutes. I love you."_

"Love you too. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, Eli relayed the info to the others. From the floor, Harley waved her hand, mumbling something. Edward sighed.

Why did women have to be difficult?


	22. Chapter 22

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Women; they had always confused Edward deeply. They were a riddle that the Riddler himself didn't wish to solve. But now that he had Ivy and Harley and Sunni, he didn't feel quite so lost around them. Learning to read their moods and expressions was a gift that he had been bestowed with by some unknown higher power, but Eddie was forever grateful for the knowledge.

Now, as he sat in his hospital bed surrounded by small boys, Eddie knew why God had given him that gift. It was specifically so that he wouldn't be injured in an explosion of sugary energy and little boy tantrums. From outside the room Ivy had appeared, bearing wonderfully smelling Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee for the harlequin on the floor. As soon as he smelled the strong caffienated brew Eddie groaned. Harley was going to turn into the Engerizer Bunny on crack!

The boys, who had skipped breakfast despite their abnormally large stomachs, pounced on the sugary baked-goods. Three dozen of the sweet wheel-shaped cakes were quickly demolished, the boys paying no heed to Ivy as she warned them about eating too much. Sunni silently walked into the room, bearing a dozen little jugs of milk. Looking up, the boys each snatched a carton, downing the cool liquid as they ate.

Edward noticed something off about Sunni as she strode into the room. Usually bright, vibrant, and full of life, the girl now moved like a robot. Nothing registered on her face. It was like a mask; a mask that he knew all too well. She was trying to cut off her feelings and hide them from the world. That worried Eddie quite a bit.

A gesture to Ivy caught the older woman's attention. She glided over to his bed, plopping down beside him with a smile. Thin eyebrows raised in question, but Ivy didn't say anything.

"What's up with Sunni?"

The smile wavered, becoming strained and almost painful to look at. Emerald green eyes pleaded with Eddie, trying to make him take back the question. He almost did, but resolve hardened his mind and he pressed on.

Ivy sighed and curled up next to him. From the vantage point, she watched Harley and the boys stuff their faces with junk food. Sunni sat off to the side, head down and staring at something in her hand that was non-existent.

"She thinks she's a monster because of last night."

A frown crossed Eddie's features. "That's ludicrous. She was simply trying to keep us from dying, even though I was still a close call."

Gently laying her head in the crook of Ed's shoulder, Ivy nodded. "I know. But try telling her that. She's still convinced that she's a dangerous killer that could hurt us."

Almost on instinct, an arm wrapped around Ivy, drawing her even closer to Eddie. He leaned his head against her hair, taking a deep breath so he could draw in as much scent as possible. The bright locks smelled like a tropical rainforest, beautiful and clean and intoxicating all at the same time. Joy fluttered up in Eddie's chest as he realized that Ivy was nearly purring against him. For the first time in his life, as he looked around at all the people that surrounded his bed, Edward felt...loved.

"She'll come out of it Ivy. Don't worry. Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't you have Harley and the kids go out on a shopping spree? It'll take their minds off of what happened last night."

For the first time, the plant goddess was hesistant. She didn't want to split them up just yet, not when Sunni was this fragile. In an almost comic turn of fate, Harley leapt up and nearly shouted, "Oh my God! Mistah' J's on the T.V.!"

And surprisingly, the statement was true. The Joker, Zsasz, and Two-Face were standing before Arkham's warden. The scarred, hooked man was glaring fiercly at the three, scrutinizing every laceration and bruise on their bodies. He was making some sort of announcement, but most of it was bleeped out before the public could hear the profane words that the man was using. As the warden shouted swears, Joker was abnormally quiet. He didn't laugh. He didn't smile. He didn't even make any snide remarks about the warden's mother. The insane clown just stood there, hatred and contempt burning in his eyes.

From the wall, Sunni nearly cringed. Those eyes; they reminded her painfully of her father's on the night she killed him. It brought back really painful memories that she would have rather forgotten, so she leapt up and ran out of the room. Following her was Harley, the childish clown concerned for the girl that she now considered a younger sister. Minutes ticked by, and still the two didn't return. A silence fell across the boys, Jaylon actually standing up and asking Ivy if everything was alright.

She was nervous as well, but Ivy put on a brave face and answered soothingly, "It's okay baby. Sunni and Harl are just talking."

Just as abruptly as they entered, Harley and Sunni came back in the room. The jester was sporting a smile, an arm draped across Sunni's shoulders. "How'd you boys like ta go to the mall?"

The ones that could walk leapt to their feet, Gabe and Eli lifting the babies as they all cheered. Eddie leaned over to Ivy, whispering smugly, "Well that settles my mall idea."

"Shut up."

Jasper ran over to them, leaping up and hugging his mom. "We'll be okay Mommy. I love you."

Ah! That sentence would never get old to Ivy. "I love you too Jasper." Looking up, she added, "You all be careful. Okay?"

The boys nodded and answered in unison. "Yes Mom."

With that, the kids where whisked away with an overly-hyper harlequin. This was going to be the equivalent of the apocalypse for Bergduff's. A slightly mischievous chuckle resounded from behind the woman, and she turned, faced with a smiling Eddie.

"We're all alone. There aren't any kiddies we have to worry about. You thinking what I'm thinking."

A grin. "Shameless snuggling?"

"Get over here. I'm lonely."

_The Mall~10:30 a.m._

Through the mall Harley maneuvered, the older boys following her as she pushed a triplet cart. A lolli-pop stick protruded from the woman's mouth as she scanned the different stores around her. Silently, Sunni watched the chaos around her. Her eyes were drawn to Enrique's shop as they passed, observing a group of teenage boys who were harrassing the Latino store owner. Harley and the others seemed oblivious to the conflict.

Instead of passing on, Sunni leaned over and whispered, "I'm going to Enrique's, Harl."

The blond barely gave a passing glance to her, muttering, "Okay. Meet us back at the Burger King."

But the words fell on deaf ears, as the teen was already gone. Silently she stalked into the store, coming up behind the large teenagers. They had gathered around Enrique, pushing the smaller man around like he was nothing as they tried to bully him into giving them his new drum set. The largest was about seventeen, with muscles that strained against the material on his shirt. His hair was hidden under a backwards flat-billed cap, but his skin was unnaturally tan. His friends were much smaller, but just as mean and pig headed.

"Hey Gorrilla-Face!"

The thugs turned, glaring at Sunni with horrid piggy eyes. The leader spoke in a deep voice, stupidity evident in every syllable. "What are you doin' kid?"

Slightly scared eyes appeared from behind the teenagers, Enrique trying to get Sunni to back down. "Sunni..."

"Stay out of this Enrique. This is my fight."

The leader snorted. "You don't scare me kid."

Suddenly, the girl darkened, her eyes glowing wildly. "Don't scare you eh? Well, I'm about to."

_To be continued..._

**_Okay guys, I know I haven't been leaving any messages for you. But I really do appreciate all the comments and love people left for me to read. You know the drill; after reading this, review me and give me tips on what I can do to further the story. _**

**_Oh, and by the way...In the next few chapters, one of my characters is going to die. It's in memory of the person that I based them off of. They lost their battle with cancer, so I just don't feel right about writing a character based on them. I hope you understand. _**


	23. Chapter 23

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Arkham Asylum: Joker's Cell_

Joker sat on his cot, staring up at the ceiling with contempt. That girl; how had that girl taken him down so easily? He had seen promise in her. Everything about the child burned with hatred and rage, a fuel that made every pure thing you could think of pale. It was horrible that the child had turned all that anger on him.

He needed to get that girl. A pale fist slammed into the concrete, sending sharp staves of pain up the Joker's arm. The sting didn't bother the mad clown the slightest. In fact, it only made his resolve stronger. _I'm going to kill that girl. _

Standing, Gotham's most dangerous psycho stalked over to the glass door of his cell. Letting his rage build and boil, Joker raised a foot and kicked the transparent barrier. It shattered, sending shards of reinforced glass everywhere. Sirens blazed. Guards shouted. Inmates howled with horrible insanity.

Joker didn't care.

With speed that was almost impossible, Joker took off down the corridor. The layout of the asylum was burned into his cranium so he navigated the entirity of the building without a hitch. Something of a wicked idea crossed his mind as he passed Scarecrow's cell. Johnny-boy never did tell him where Harley was living. Crane didn't expect him to spring him again, so imagine the nerdy bird's surprise when the clown opened the door to his cell.

"Come on Nerd-Boy! You never found Harley for me!"

While it might have been a bad idea, Scarecrow couldn't say no to a free chance to escape Arkham. And so, the Joker and Scarecrow were once again out into the world. Only this time, Joker was out for blood.

_Bergduff's Mall_

The thugs backed off, fear filling their stupid eyes as Sunni stalked forward. A wicked smile crossed her lips, revealing her fangs to the boys. "What the hell is this chick?"

In a whisper that was rough and dry, Sunni answered the leader's question. "I'm your worst nightmare. Now, would you rather leave or let me rip your guts out through your windpipe?"

Sunni didn't even get to finish the sentence, as the teens ran past her and out into the mall. Enrique had watched the entire thing with amazement, surprised that the sweet, rather timid Sunni he had always known threaten and successfully stare down the trio. What had startled him most of all was the transformation. His chica hadn't been able to do that last time he met her, so how was she able to do it now?

"Senorita! How did you do that?"

The girl stiffened slightly, then she relaxed and turned back to normal, smiling tiredly up at her Latino friend. "Sorry Enrique. I should've told you sooner, but Dad mutated me. Now I have freaky weird powers that turn me into a killing machine."

Surprisingly, the small man took the news fairly lightly, nodding and silently returning to stand behind his counter. The blacklights overhead illuminated Sunni's white sure brightly, making her shine like a beacon in the fairly dark store. The smooth accented voice of Enrique came floating to her ears, grateful sounding and quiet.

"Thank you chica. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come along. Those boys...they're a mighty mean bunch eh?"

"They're just a bunch of punks on steroids that are too stupid to actually get money to legally buy stuff."

Enrique laughed, the sound light and airy despite the ordeal. "I agree! Now, why don't you go with your friends and brothers? I bet their worried about you."

Something close to pain flashed across Sunni's face, but the storeowner didn't notice it. Something just felt really wrong all of a sudden. Turning, Sunni rushed out of the store, calling her good-byes to Enrique. The man waved to her as the teen disappeared into the swirling crowds. He shook his head. Why God had given him such a caring young friend was beyond him, but for whatever reason, Enrique was forever grateful.

Through the swarms of people Sunni ran, leaping and dodging as she made her way to the Burger King. She didn't know what drove her, but something was WAY off. There was something bad coming, and she was going to try and protect her family whether or not it cost her her life.

Burger King; the restaraunt that was always so packed with people. Finding Harley and her brothers was going to take forever in that place! But something caught her attention; paramedics were carrying someone away on a stretcher, calling out orders and yelling at the crowds. There! Eli stood with Camden and the others, tears running down his face as Gabe tried to calm a sobbing Harley. Someone else was standing in the shadows, a smirk of satisfaction stretching his rather thin features.

Running up, Sunni spoke to Eli, breathless and terrified of what was going to happen. "Eli what happened?"

More tears gathered in electric blue eyes as her younger brother cuddled Camden gently. "Joker came back and caught us in Burger King. Some other dude was with him, but Joker wanted you. Harley tried to reason with him, but he refused and charged her. Jaylon jumped in front of him...and Joker stabbed him. Jay took the knife out and stabbed the clown back, but he was really hurt. They don't know if he's gonna make it."

Sobs wracked everyone's bodies; everyone, that is, except Sunni's. A strange numbness washed over her as she watched the retreating stretchers and paramedics. Jaylon; the little brother she had raised since he was barely Howard's age. Jaylon; the sweet little imp who was always there to help. Jaylon; the baby who was a sunray in the dark. He could die. And it was all that stupid clown's fault. Rage pressed up against the numbness, transforming it into boiling hot power.

"I'm gonna kill him."

Harley's hoarse voice reached through the pounding in Sunni's ears. "You may not have to. Jay-Jay got Mistah' J pretty good."

Finally, the tears sprang up, clawing their way into the teen's eyes as she stood next to her other brothers. Slowly, she sank to her knees, rocking back and forth on the floor and cradeling her head in her hands. !

It was all her fault. She should have stayed with them, damnit! It wasn't fair. Jaylon was the sweetest boy on the planet and now he was going to die because of some god-forsaken psycho clown! A growl started to form in Sunni's throat as she cried, slowly climing in volume until it transformed into a snarl, and then a roar of absolute rage. The others stared at her, the little ones actually starting to cry harder in fear.

That clown was going to pay. If Jaylon died, Sunni wouldn't rest until he was burning in hell. Strange enough, the tall skinny man standing in the shadows behind Harley stepped forward, blocking Sunni before she could rush after the paramedics. His voice was quiet, with a prim and proper lilt lying within the words.

"Don't. They need to do their jobs and save your brother. Instead of taking it out on him, call Ivy. She needs to know."

Bright amber eyes burned into the dark ones of the man. Then something flashed. Sunni knew that voice. It was often heard screaming or shouting something about fear. "You're the Scarecrow."

A tired sigh. "Yes. Now, if you would be so kind as to let go of my arm, I would like to get back to calming down Harley."

Wait just a minute. This shouldn't be happening. Scarecrow was a psycho; a loon that dealt with instilling fear into others through toxins. He shouldn't be standing in a mall trying to keep her from killing the Joker! Her hand was wrapped tightly in the fabric of the incredibly tall man's shirt, bring him face to face with fury.

"If you hurt a single one of them, I will personally filet you with my teeth. Do we understand each other?"

Scarecrow nodded quickly, leaping away from the girl as soon as she let go of his shirt. A snarl rose unbiddin in Sunni's throat. God, the world really hated her! If she was lucky, the cops would take Joker instead of Harley, because this time Batman wasn't here to stop them from arresting the harlequin as well. Why the hell the cops weren't there in the first place confused Sunni as well, but she wasn't about to complain. It was a blessing in disguise.

Taking a howling Miles from Gabe, Sunni gestured for Harley to stand up. Jonathan Crane, or Scarecrow, helped the sniffling woman to her feet, rather uncomfortable as she snuggled into his side with Hayden. Howard was tucked safely in Eli's grasp, Camden and Jasper following their older brother with tear-filled silence. "Come on guys. Let's get back to the hospital."

_The Hospital~Noon_

Ivy was still snuggled into Eddie's side when his lunch came. The nurse nearly giggled at the sight, but managed to keep her humor in check. Serving the Riddler his lunch, she gracefully bowed out of the room, sniggering all the way down the hall. She didn't stop laughing until an urgent call came through on her pager. Stab wound to a young boy. This was going to be bad.

Unbeknowst to Ivy, that little boy was one of her adopted sons. The world was still a rather bright place for her at the moment, as she finally realized something that had been nagging at the back of her mind for almost three days. She loved Edward.

It was a strange thing for her to admit. Considering that she had always seen men as the weakest link in mankind, Ivy found it ironic that she had fallen for the Riddler of all people. But once you got past the pompous and downright annoying mask, Edward was a really wonderful person. Sure he had a few problems, but who didn't in this crazy, messed-up world?

"What are you smiling about?"

The question brought Ivy out of a rather deep stupor. She realized that a dopey grin was plastered to her face, and she quickly removed the stupid smile. "Nothing. I was just thinking about something rather ironic."

A smug smirk creased Ed's perfect lips as he ate. "And would said ironic thought happen to be about me?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

"That's as good as a yes in my opinion."

"Shut up Eddie."

The shrill ringing of Ivy's cellphone interuppted the conversation. Leaping lightly off the bed, the villainess answered with a rather pleasant, "Hello?"

Harley was on the other line, hitches coming through as she cried. _"Red, something happened."_

"What is it Harl? Did one of the boys break something really expensive?"

_"No Red. It's Jay-Jay...he's been hurt. He's hurt real bad."_

THAT got Ivy's attention. She stiffened, clutching the cellular phone in a death-grip. "What happened Harl?"

_"Puddin' busted out again and brought Johnny with him. He found us at Burger King and started screaming real loud, waving a knife and yellin' that he wanted to kill Sunni. I tried to tell Puddin' that she wasn't here, but he came at me instead. Jaylon flew in front of me and...Puddin' stabbed him! Puddin' stabbed lil' Jay-Jay!"_

The rest of the call was indiscernable to Ivy, but it didn't really matter. She couldn't hear anyways. Everything was black and numb. She could hear; couldn't breathe; couldn't speak. First Eddie, and now Jaylon? Why the hell did the world have to screw with her?

Hot, wet tears started to stream down her face as Ivy hung up the phone. Her legs felt weak, so she collapsed onto the bed, curling up close to Eddie. He was startled, but he managed to wrap an arm around Ivy's waist and hug her.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"He hurt my baby! He hurt him!"

"Who hurt who? Come on Ivy, be strong and tell me."

After about a minute of gentle cooing and maneuvering, Eddie managed to get Ivy to calm down and tell him. Her eyes were now red and puffy, sticky tear tracks ran down pale green skin. Face buryied in Eddie's shoulder, Ivy managed to choke out, "Joker stabbed Jaylon. He stabbed my baby, Eddie. And I can't do a damn thing about it."

Finally, the sobbing took over again, and Ivy broke apart. The plants that were sitting in pots around the room started to move, slithering and squirming in silent agigtation. Ivy tended to have that effect on plants when she was upset. Edward gave up on his rather disgusting meal and wrapped both arms around Ivy. Tears were now streaming down his own face as he whispered words of comfort to Ivy.

But somehow he knew that everything was going to be _much _different now.


	24. Chapter 24

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Driving an Escalade with a bunch of bawling boys and a couple of psychotic criminals isn't exactly the easiest thing ever. To be perfectly precise, it's one of the hardest things you can do when you're a fourteen year old mutant with monster powers. Sunni's rage wasn't soothed in the least by the bawling around her, the tears only serving to make her angrier. Scarecrow and Harley were sitting in the passenger seat, the Scarecrow clearly uncomfortable with the close contact. His thin frame couldn't peel the incredibly strong blond, so he was forced to hold Harley while she cried.

"Sunni, when are we going to get to the hospital."

A slight growl escaped Sunni's throat. That was the third time Camden had asked that question in the past twenty minutes, and it was starting to get really old. "I don't know, Cam. Just be quiet until we get there, okay?"

Camden nodded in the rearview mirror. The Cadillac glided through the streets, coming to rest in a parking space just outside of the hospital's west entrance. Lying back against the seat, Sunni watched as the others unloaded themselves and the babies. She was still so numb. It wasn't fair to Jaylon. For all she cared, Joker could go die in a ditch and burn in hell. Soon, the only ones still left in the car were her and the adults.

Somehow, Scarecrow managed to fall asleep in his seat, Harley still sniffling into his chest. A quick jab to the ribs got Harley to get out of the car, but Jonathan was still dead to the world. The fact that this was one of the most dangerous criminals in Gotham had finally been lost to Sunni, so she grabbed him by the shoulders and started to shake the Scarecrow roughly. What she hadn't counted on was the fact that he was still carrying a canister of fear gas up his sleeve.

A face full of toxic yellow gas was what Sunni recieved for her efforts. Jonathan immediately realized what he had done after he awoke, cursing under his breath with wide eyes. Coughing and hacking, Sunni tried to clear her system of the hallucinagenic gas. Visions of demons with red eyes assaulted her, followed with screams and wails of the dead that weren't there. Eyes watering, Sunni managed to back out of the car, falling on the ground in a snarling heap.

It was a horrible feeling, but she fought hard. She lost all traces of ferocity when a familiar shape appeared over her. It was a tall man, with dishwater blond hair and icy blue eyes. Those eyes; they burned with hatred and rage. His voice reached her ears, even though no one else heard what he was saying.

_"It's all your fault Sunni. You're the one who killed me. You're the one who let your brother get hurt. It's all on your head. I'll see you in hell."_

"No Daddy! No Daddy! It's not my fault! Don't hurt me!"

Harley tried to restrain Sunni, but the super powered teen thrashed and screamed, tears streaming down her face as she tried to get away from whatever Scarecrow's fear toxin was showing her. Man, God was really pissy today.

_Gotham Hospital~Intensive Care Rooms~2:00 p.m._

Jaylon was asleep in his room, various machines beeping and thrumming with the beats of his heart and lungs. A breathing tube ran down his throat, making his small lungs expand and contract. IV's ran in both of his arms, pumping painkiller's and life-preserving drugs into the six-year-old's blood. Nothing really registered to the boy as he slept. Nothing was pulling through the fog that kept Jaylon under and unconcious.

That didn't keep Ivy from trying. She held his hand, whispering things to him as tears streamed down from her face. It was gut-wrenching and horrible to watch the respirator breathe for her little boy, but the villainess kept strong for his sake. Being strong didn't make the pain any better though, and the hot salty tears continued to pour down Ivy's face.

Soon, Harley ran in, latching onto Ivy with a sob. "Red! It's awful! They've got Puddin' hooked up to all these machines and now Sunni's in the hospital too...I just want things to go back to normal!"

Confused, Ivy pushed the crying harlequin away and gave her a questioning look. Harley wiped her eyes and explained, voice slightly choked. "Jonathan was with Puddin' when we were at the mall. He stayed behind and rode with us to the hospital. He was asleep and Sunni tried to wake him up..."

"And she got a face full of fear toxin," Ivy finished. She looked down at the sleeping boy in the hospital bed, trying to determine what Sunni would look like in that state. The thought only served to upset her more, so the former seductress squeezed her eyes shut and turned away.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"The doctors said that she'd be alright in a few hours. But what she saw was scary Red. I've never heard someone sound that terrified and hurt. She was sayin' something about her Daddy, but I couldn't make out much."

Suddenly, Ivy slapped Harley hard on the arm, staring at Jaylon. His eyes were fluttering, the deep chocolate orbs trying to open. A small hand came up to try and reach for Ivy, and the woman grasped it tightly, stroking the soft skin with her thumb. Soon, the dark brown eyes opened, staring at Ivy intensely despite the heavy amounts of medication.

He tried to talk, but gagged on the tube rammed in his throat. Panicking, Ivy started to stroke his hair, saying quickly, "Jaylon don't try to talk. You've got a tube that's breathing for you. Okay?"

A short nodd was all she recieved, but it made Ivy relax. He could understand her. Granted, he was terrified and in pain, but her Jay-Jay was alright in his head. "Baby, you're gonna be out of here in no time. Do you want Aunt Harley to come hold your hand?"

Jaylon nodded. From across the room, the aforemention clown-girl bounded. The startling experience had caused her to leap back and freeze, but by now she had recovered and was speaking to her "nephew" with her customary grin. Even the tears in her eyes didn't faze the small boy in the slightest as he squeezed her hand, reassuring Harley that he was listening to her. By that time, Ivy had leaned back in the chair, crying silently.

Man, why did life have to keep screwing with her!

_Sunni's Room_

Finally, the visions were going away. There weren't any more demons. Her Dad was gone. The voices had quieted. She was alone in pure, blissful silence. That gave Sunni what she needed to concentrate on what she wanted to do; kill the Joker.

That psychotic clown had caused her so much pain. He had kidnapped her Mom, shot the man that she was starting to consider a dad, and now he had stabbed her baby brother. Now **that **pissed Sunni off. That idiot was soon going to be burning in hell where he belonged.

Standing, the teen touched her now bare feet to the hospital floor. The tile was cold on the calloused skin, but it didn't do anything to stop the now rampaging girl. Slipping out of the room was the easy part. Getting to the Joker was going to be much more difficult.

Stealthy feet tiptoed down the hallway, making their way towards a room where Sunni saw a pair of guards. The large and muscular men didn't frighten the teen in the slightest, but she was cautious. They could actually prove a challenge if they wanted to fight her. The gears whirred and clicked in Sunni's mind, formulating an on the spot plan.

While the guards where looking in the opposite direction, Sunni rushed up and gave them each a sharp jab to the temple. It rendered the two unconcious, large bodies slowly slipping to the floor. Something close to contempt crept into the girl's eyes as she looked down on their passed-out forms. With a light leap, she entered the room, darkening as she stared at the Joker's body.

His eyes were open, boring into the amber depths of Sunni's own as he lay on the bed. A wicked grin crossed her lips as she glided over to the bed. "Hey Joker. How's it goin'?"

Hatred flared to life in the dark of his eyes, communicating clearly with Sunni. The tube in his throat prevented him from speaking so his glares would have to do. A chuckle escaped the mutant teen as she sat on his bed. "I thought so."

"You know something, I came in here to kill you. But now I see something; you're already dead. There's nothing inside you. You're empty and pathetic and sad. Not even death would help you now. So I'm gonna tell you somethin', and you'd better listen well. When you die, no one is gonna miss you. There'll be no one to say anything good about the Joker, except maybe Harley. You're gonna die, alone and weak, and afterwards you're gonna burn in hell. Isn't that just perfect?"

The Joker tried to raise an arm, but Sunni's hand shot out and clamped it like a vice. "I wouldn't do that, buddy. I'm still twice as strong as you'll ever be. I hate your guts, and I really hope that Satan has some sort of horrible punishment for you."

With a slap to the clown's face, Sunni departed, gliding out of the room and returning to her own. Her grin shrank down to a smirk as she sat on her own bed. Terrorizing the clown had been a lot of fun.

**Hey ya'll! It's me again. I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for the wonderful reviews and the love. I really wanted to express my gratitude, so here it is. Okay, so you know what happened this chapter, so what do ya think's gonna happen in the next chapter? Give me your predictions and see if they come true in the next chapter of my story.**

**Lots of awesome love,**

**BlackRosePoetry**


	25. Chapter 25

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Room 502~2:00 a.m~December 6th_

Eddie sat in bed, staring up at the ceiling. The hours had ticked by so slowly, making him only more aware of the fact that Jaylon was still fighting to hang on just two floors below him. No one was there anymore, as they had to go home and grab some things before coming back. Ivy had protested violently, but somehow Harley had managed to persuade her to come back with him. Sitting in the far corner of the room was Jonathan, his gaze resting on the silent Riddler.

"Well, I'm thoroughly surprised."

Looking languidly over at the Scarecrow, Eddie raised an eyebrown and said, "What's so surprising?"

A smirk crossed Jonathan's thin face. "You're actually silent for once."

Edward scowled fiercly, turning his head to face the doorway. Somewhat surprised, the Scarecrow stood and waltzed over to the bed. The smirk was still firmly in place, though, as he knew that the Riddler's pride was probably wounded.

"What did I say?"

"Go away Jonathan."

"Come on. What was it? Did I wound your ever so sensitive pride?"

A furious glare was sent towards the Scarecrow, deep chocolate brown eyes filled to the brim with utter rage. "My pride? My PRIDE? Oh sure Johnny-Boy, my pride's hurt. There's also a little boy that's lying unconcious in a bed with a tube down his throat. And a fourteen year old girl that's had her worst nightmares shown to her by a face-full of toxic gas. You can fix my pride Johnny, but you can't fix them!"

The outburst stunned Jonathan, as did the look of utter contempt Eddie shot him after he was finished. Nothing he ever said had really pissed the smaller man off _that _badly before, so why was he so sensitive now? Rational mind whirring, Jonathan sat down in a chair next to the bed. Something on the nightstand caught his eye; it was a picture. By the date on the photograph, was only about a week old, but what it showed shocked the Scarecrow beyond belief.

It seemed to be a family photo, a genuine smile plastered to everyone's faces. Harley sitting cross-legged in the floor, a small blond baby bouncing happily in her lap. Flanking her were two other boys, each with chocolate brown hair and equally dark eyes. One Jonathan recognized as the boy that Joker stabbed. The other was smaller, and had started to sob hysterically at the sight of his injured brother.

The twins were sitting on the arms, displaying their differences very clearly. Two wolves sat at the punk child's feet, one deep black and one grey. A small pure-white one sat with the other twin. Sunni stood behind the couch, propping herself up on the soft leather. And in the middle of the couch sat Ivy and Eddie, the small green woman tucked under his arm and grinning to beat the band. She had the small auburn haired baby cuddling into her grasp, the small boy giggling happily at the flashing camera. Edward, on the other hand, was holding a larger brunette boy, his smile containing his customary pompousity.

"Since when are you a family man?"

The sentence rose unbidden from Jonathan's lips, but the effect was instantaneous. Eddie whipped around, eyes wide as stared at Scarecrow and the snapshot. "Give me that! Ivy'll have my head if anything happens to it!"

The Riddler snatched the picture away, glaring fiercly at Scarecrow before returning to the smiling family in the photo. He soon smiled slightly, becoming misty eyed as he stared at the photograph. "I remember that day. It was really crazy."

A raised eyebrow greeted the statement, prompting Eddie to continue with his story. "Eli had found his camera and he wanted to take a picture. It took three tries to get this one because Hayden wouldn't look at the lens and Ivy wouldn't quit until she got one with his eyes." A wry smile crossed his face as Edward continued.

"She said that she wouldn't look at any picture if she couldn't see her baby's pretty green eyes."

"You know, you make her sound like she's actually those children's Mom."

Deadly serious eyes turned back to Scarecrow, boring into him with intelligent scrutiny that was unsettling. "That's because she is there Mom, Jonathan. Don't forget that next time you shove fear toxin into one of those children's face either, because she'll come after you."

The Scarecrow didn't even get the chance to answer, as the cellphone on the bedside table rang. Silence pervaded the air as Eddie answered, everything seeming to still as he listened to the other person on the line. Then tears started to well in his eyes, making them darker with grief. He answered quietly, saying that he would tell Ivy when she got back to the hospital. Hanging up the cellphone quietly, Eddie flopped back onto the cushions, streams of moisture pouring from his eyes.

Confused, Jonathan creased his brow and asked, "What happened?"

"Jaylon just crashed. They couldn't revive him."

Realization hit Scarecrow like a blow to the stomach. That little six year old boy was dead. Something close to sincere remorse crossed his thin face as Jonathan said, "I'm very sorry Edward."

"How am I going to tell Ivy?"

Apparently, God decided he was going to be angry with Edward today, because Ivy waltzed into the room at that moment. She was dressed in a fresh shirt and blouse, hair still wet from a recent shower. She was also cradeling a teddy bear that Eddie recognized as Jaylon's Cocoa. Jonathan took one look at the woman and headed for the door, determined not to become part of the sob-fest that was about to occur.

Curiosity and confusion crossed Ivy's face as she crossed to the bed. Cocoa was still held firmly in her grasp as she sat down. "What's the matter Eddie? The nurse at the front desk said you needed to see me."

Suddenly, something in Edward cracked and he couldn't meet her gaze. His eyes were firmly planted on the sheets, refusing to look up at the concerned red-head. "It's Jaylon Ivy."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Ivy, he crashed. They couldn't bring him back. Jay-Jay's not gonna come home."

A deep hitch formed in Ivy's throat, alerting Eddie to the fact that she was crying. Her fists clenched and un-clenched in aggitation, the hot tears pouring down her cheeks as Ivy started to deny everything.

"NO! NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE! JAYLON'S NOT DEAD! HE CAN'T BE!"

"Ivy..."

The villainess turned mother broke down, collapsing onto Eddie in a sobbing heap. The Riddler simply held her, starting to cry himself. With Jaylon gone, life just wasn't ever going to be the same. And all the time they cried, Cocoa was cradeled in Ivy's grasp, still carrying the scent of the little boy that had cuddled him constantly for years.

_111111111111:_

_R.I.P Jaylon Ryan Amyx _

_2005-2011_

_You will forever be in our hearts and minds; loved, cherished, and commemorated_


	26. Chapter 26

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

The days after Jaylon's death passed in a blur, each hour passing by with numbing indifference for Ivy. The boys seemed to be almost catatonic as they moved through the everyday tasks of life. Eddie and Harley were getting worried, as the little boys moved without their usual spunk and enthusiasm. Even the pack was listless, Fang and Thalia keeping Sunni constant company. Ivy and the teenager seemed to be taking Jay-Jay's passing the hardest, both of the two not moving for hours at a time. But Eddie wasn't worried. They would heal with time. Everyone heals as the time passes. Right?

_December 12th~Noon_

Now Eddie was worried.

The pack, the new members included, had managed to cheer the older children up slightly. Camden was still very sensitive, but Ziva and Snow's constant encouragement helped him along quickly. Lyall and Gabe were quickly becoming best friends, the bright silver wolf and the blond twin constantly by each other's sides. Even Drake found a friend in the most unlikely of places; Hayden had taken an unusual liking to the dark wolf, constantly laughing at him while the canine did absolutely nothing.

Steel and Dea were constantly watching over Miles, the pair as close as they could be. The only wolf that wasn't constantly with a child or Eddie was Akin. The male white wolf had become attached to Ivy, as she had been the first one to thank him when he got back to the house. But Ivy and Sunni were still absolutely lifeless.

After Eddie came home, Ivy had secluded herself in her room, only leaving to go to get a drink or to help Harley with the babies. Akin had stayed with her almost the entire time, cuddling and constantly trying to coax her to go outside. Sunni was constantly lying on the couch, Cocoa cradeled in her grasp while Thalia and Fang watched over her.

His chest might have still been sore, but that wasn't about to stop Eddie from getting Ivy out of that bedroom. Entering the darkened master, he could immediately make out Ivy's form on the bed. Akin was lying next to her, bright blue eyes pitch-dark with sorrow. He whined as Eddie entered the room, pleading with the man to help his human friend.

"Ivy? Are you awake?"

A slightly muffled sniffle eminated from the bed, and a mass of tangled red hair rose from the silky green sheets. Once so shiny and voluminous, now the auburn curls were tangled; limp; and lifeless. Tear-streaks ran down her face, bright red against the pale green. Her eyes were dark and watery from lack of food and water, and poor Ivy could barely lift her head for starvation-induced weakness.

"Eddie?"

Sadness creeped into Eddie's eyes as he strode over to the bed. He crawled under the sheets with her, pulling Ivy into his lap. She was alarmingly light, not protesting as he squeezed her tightly. "Ivy what have you done to yourself?"

Her voice was barely more than a whisper as Ivy spoke, the tone raspy and filled with hurt. "I miss my baby."

"I know, darling."

Gently, he shifted her in his arms to where she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Did you just call me darling?"

Eddie smiled, knowing that his favorite red-head's customary intelligence was still there. "Yep. Do you like that name, or would you rather I go to Harvey's old name for you?"

"Do I even want to know?"

"He called you Itchy Hotness before you tried to kill him. Then he called you another name that I'm not going to repeat."

Surprisingly, Ivy chuckled slightly, snuggling further into his grasp. "You're probably the only person besides Harley that could get away with mentioning Harvey Dent's name in my presence without being utterly destroyed. You know that right?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

111111111

While Ivy was starting to heal with Eddie, Harley was in the kitchen with Jonathan. Eli and Gabe sat at the table with Steel and Lyall at their feet, watching silently as Harley made lunch. Somehow, the harlequin had managed to coax the ever-reluctant Scarecrow into a conversation with her. She was trying to explain the wonders of the magnificent arm-flailing tube men you find in car dealer parking lots. For a man with the brains of Einstein, Jonathan could really be thick sometimes.

"I'm tellin' ya Johnny! The tube men are real!"

"Harley, you are like a child in ways that you can't even imagine."

"Hey, why don't ya take these sandwhiches into the living room and take one to Red and Riddles?" Harley paused for a moment before adding sternly, "And don't wake up the babies! Red might not be feeling too hot right now, but she'll still have your head on a pike if you wake one a' her babies up!"

Crane grumbled that he wasn't anyone's slave and swiped the grilled cheese sandwhiches off the counter. From underneath the counter, Lyall and Steel gave a slight snort at the incredibly thin man's backside.

**I can't believe Ivy allowed him to stay here. I mean, he shoved poison into Sunni's face!**

**I know how you feel Lyall. Just wait for a while. Sunni's been talking about asking Ivy to move into their old mansion. The lawyer that had taken care of Jaylon's burial records said that legally the house was hers to do as she pleased with. **

**Cool! A mansion on the outskirts of this hellhole? Count me in!**

Now, as Lyall and Steel were discussing residence possibilities, Thalia and Fang were trying to coax some life back into their teenage packmate.

**Come on Sunni. You need to eat...and take a shower. Your starting to make my nostrils burn. **

**No Fang.**

**Why not little one? **

**Because I let my baby brother get killed. It's all my fault. I was off playing hero while he was defending Harley and the others from a deranged clown! It shouldn't have been that way Thalia. Why couldn't it have been me?**

The alpha female's inner voice was gentle as she answered the girl's question. **Because it wasn't time for the Father Wolf to take you yet. Jaylon gave up his life to save anothers. You should be proud of him for that kind of bravery. And you need to be here for your other brothers. How do you think this entire ordeal has affected them? **

Listless eyes turned to study Camden and Jasper as they watched cartoons. They sat side by side, Jasper trying to disappear into his older brother's side as a somewhat startling part of the episode erupted onto the screen.

Thalia was probably right. But she just couldn't get over what her father had said in the hallucination. _I'll see you in hell. I'll see you in hell._ What kind of father said that to his daughter, even if it was a toxin-induced hallucination? Did it really mean that she was a monster and was going to go to hell? That thought terrified Sunni as she snuggled into the soft pelts of her packmates. She could hear the conversation Snow and Ziva were having on the floor, but she tuned them out because all they were talking about was Jonathan.

**Ziva, I'm tellin' ya! That scrawny man's got it in for us!**

**He does not Snow. You're over-exaggerating again.**

From down the hallway, Sunni could hear Drake's irate voice as Jonathan checked on the sleeping boys.

**What the hell are you doin' in here Stick Boy!**

The response Crane gave to the growl was an instantly shut door and a slight yelp. He certainly didn't want to be on the recieving end of wolf fury, especially not after what Eddie had told him about Steel's bite.

A light sigh escaped Sunni's lips as she listened, slowly drifting off to sleep and to a dream that was going to lead her to a new revelation.

11111111111

Jonathan got the surprise of his life as he entered Ivy's bedroom. "I've got lunch here and, OH MY GOD!"

There, curled up on the silk sheet with Akin hiding his eyes on the floor, were Eddie and Ivy. They were making out, and serious about it. In fact, it kind of looked like Ivy was trying to suck off Eddie's face. They didn't even stop their lip-lock when Crane screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?"

No response. The blatant make-out session was starting to creep Crane out, so he left immediately. Taking a deep calming breath, he muttered, "That is the creepiest thing that I've ever seen in my life.

11111111111

_Yo! Wat up? :) Sorry I'm feeling gangstery today. Please review and say your mind, but flames are not welcome here! Trust me. I freak out whenever someone flames me and go all Green Beret Homicidal on people. Just ask my cousin. He still has the scars. *wicked grin*_

_With lots of love and insane glee, _

_BlackRosePoetry_


	27. Chapter 27

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_It was so...white here. Sunni was standing in an area, everything surrounding her covered in a thick mist, blocking out everything in sight. Experimentally, she called out, voice falling feeble in the heavily muffled air. Then the scene began to shift. _

_Familiar blue walls came into view, filling the teen's heart with an aching dread. A little twin-bed with bright green sheets sat in the middle of the room, and on the very edge of the bed sat Jaylon. The boy was completely serene, chocolate brown eyes filled with a light that was incredibly warm. He smiled, a comfort radiating from the simple movement._

_"Hey Sunni."_

_Emotions of all kinds slammed into the girl's heart as she looked at her younger brother. Confusion; happiness; sadness; pain; they all assaulted her as Sunni fell to her knees. No. No. This couldn't be real. Jay-Jay was dead! This was a dream. A stupid dream that was nothing more than a trick to make her cry. _

_"Jay-Jay? Is that you?"_

_The boy that looked more like an angel now kept on smiling, nodding his dark head. "Yep. The nice man upstairs told me to talk to ya."_

_Okay, now her head hurt. So God, the big man, the big kahona, had told her six year old brother to talk to her in a dream. WOW this was freaky. "Jaylon, what did you need to talk about?"_

_"Stop crying for me Sissy. I'm okay. I'm happy."_

_Tears now began to pool in Sunni's eyes as she listened. "It's so hard Jay-Jay. I should've been there to protect you! It should've been me!"_

_Sunni now began to openly sob, collapsing onto the soft gray carpet. Silently, the little angel boy stood and went to his sister, hugging her with small, soft arms. "It's okay Sissy. I promise. It's not your fault."_

_What seemed like forever passed before the girl calmed herself, clutching onto her younger brother. He smelled just like he had in life; green apple candy and baby powder. "I'm so sorry Jay-Jay. I'm so sorry."_

_"It's alright Sunni. Just tell Mommy that I love her too and that she doesn't have to worry."_

_"Okay Buddy. I love you." _

_"I love you too."_

And just like that, Sunni woke up.

With wild eyes and tangled hair the teen sat bolt upright on the couch, displacing a rather comfortable Thalia. From the floor Harley, Camden, and Jasper looked up, staring as their sister awoke violently. Hazel eyes locked onto the harlequin's blue ones. "Harley, where's Mom and Eddie?"

Confused, but with a little hint of mischief gleaming through on her face, the clowny girl answered, "They're in the master bedroom. Johnny just went in there a minute ago, and he said it wasn't pretty."

Rolling her eyes, Sunni leapt lightly off the couch and went down the hall. Drake called to her as she passed, his deep voice growling.

**Where are you going?**

**To the bedroom. **

**I wouldn't do that.**

**Why?**

**Never mind. You'll see.**

Oh, Sunni did see. Opening the door, the girl was assaulted by the most disturbing scene of her life. First, she noticed Akin whimpering on the floor, muttering something about finding his happy place. Then she saw the actual disturbing part. Ivy and Eddie were snogging on the bed, eyes closed as they tongued each other. Her eyes were glued to the scene as the woman she'd come to know as a mom moaned into Eddie's mouth, shoving him down on the sheets and trying to strip him.

Suddenly, her voice came back and Sunni started to shout as her eyelids twitched. "WHAT THE HELL!"

Immediately, the pair shot up, releasing each other to stare wide-eyed at the excited girl. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE? GET UP AND GET INTO THE LIVING ROOM!"

Ivy was indignated as she frowned at her daughter. "Sunni! I..."

"MARCH!"

The two shot like bullets out of the bed, rushing into the living room. Akin slunk up close to Sunni, his huge white head low. **You have no idea how glad I am to see you. **

**They are so gonna get it. **

**Hallelujah, praise the Father Wolf! I'm free!**

1111111111

After much shouting and general ragging on their hormones and ages, Sunni finally let Ivy and Eddie free from her clutches. The babies had by now woken up from there naps, and were cuddling on the couch with the two, although, Miles wanted to sit with Jonathan. God knows why, as the man had a skeletal frame that was so uncomfortable to sit against or on.

But the twelve month old didn't mind. He seemed to have taken a shine to the Scarecrow, even if he was about as cuddly as a porcupine. Now, as the family sat together in the living room, Ivy finally spoke.

"I never knew that she could freak out like that."

Everyone laughed at that, making the green woman blush. Cuddling into Eddie's side, Howard in her arms, Ivy pouted at the mockery. A gentle squeeze from the Riddler made Ivy smile at her own comment. Even the wolves seemed to be chuckling, each one letting off a wheezing sneeze.

Then Sunni spoke.

"You know that lawyer from the hospital? He said that the mansion was still mine, and so was Dad's company."

THAT shut everyone up. Wide-eyes stared at the teen, nearly bugging out of the boy's heads. Ziva spoke to Sunni telepathically, her normal spunky attitude shining through. **Yay! We're gonna live in a bigger house!**

**Oh shut up Ziva. I don't know if Mom'll say yes or not.**

Silence pervaded the air. Then..."Why don't we just move back into that mansion?"

Eddie's question was sensible. The mansion did have more room than the house did, but Ivy was really attached to it, especially the greenhouse. Almost as if he read Ivy's mind, Eli pipped up and said, "The mansion has a greenhouse too, Mom. We could always move your plants there."

More silence. Ivy then responded. "That's a wonderful idea baby. We could always use the space."

With a great whoop and hollar, Harley leapt up, screaming, "We're gonna live in a mansion! We're gonna live in a mansion!"

And as the harlequin danced with the boys, Ivy watched with a smile. She loved those boys so much. And now, as she felt Eddie's arm squeeze her shoulder lovingly, a wave of happiness pulsed through Ivy's heart. So this was what heaven was like for Jay-Jay.

Maybe he was in a better place after all. And as she felt a gentle kiss on her temple, Ivy definitely knew that everything was just fine.


	28. Chapter 28

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Only one word can describe moving so many people and animals out of a three bedroom house; chaos. Everything and everyone was hustling with activity, the boys frantically moving to try and pack everything before noon. The older boys were moving through the house, shouting and ordering each other to grab all their stuff and cram it in the suitcases. Fliting about the house at supersonic speed was Eli, gathering things up and placing them into suitcases, taking less than three seconds to move through the entirity of the structure.

Ivy sat with Eddie in the living room, watching as her boys and Sunni packed everything up. All of her clothes were already in her suitcases, so all she had to do was watch the babies. On her knee sat Howard, the little blond boys bouncing up and down cheerfully. Jonathan was sitting in the armchair stiffly, watching as the little ones played happily on the floor. Watching over them was Lyall, little hands running through his thick silver coat.

The man called the Scarecrow was still nervous about having so many wild creatures around him, but he was reassured that all of the wolves were perfectly safe to be around as soon as Sunni was there. As if to show him that he was good, Lyall stood, gently lifting Hayden on his back. Slowly, the large wolf paced over to Jonathan, placing Hayden into his bony lap with care. A light chuckle escaped Eddie's throat at his colleague's stunned expression.

"They do that a lot, Johnny."

Harley bounced in the room, flushed and energized enough to pass for a jack rabbit on crack. "Hey Red! We're all packed! Can we leave now?"

Grinning, Ivy said, "Sure. Just make sure that all of the cases are in the Escalade before we go. I don't want to make second trips."

The harlequin saluted and shot off like a bullet, grabbing Gabe as he tried to lope into the room. Standing, Ivy grabbed Miles and Howard, saying something about taking one last look around the greenhouse before they left. Eddie watched her leave with a rather worried expression on his face. Something told him that the adopted mother wasn't as fine with leaving her home as she made everyone think.

A dull throb pulsed through Ed's chest as he tried to stand, reminding him that he still wasn't fully healed. Snow and Ziva had floated into the living room by now, shooting concerned looks in the Riddler's direction. He returned a slight smile, trying to get the little wolves not to worry. Then the pain was gone and he straightened, following Ivy into the kitchen. "Hey Jonathan, can you watch Hayden for a while? I'm going to find Ivy."

"You're kidding me aren't you? I don't know how to watch a child! The closest I've ever come to babysitting was staying with Harley for a couple of minutes."

Eddie rolled his eyes."You'll be fine. Just watch it if his face turns red. Hayden spits fire."

"What!"

But the exclamation fell on deaf ears, as Edward had already strode through the kitchen door. Not surprisingly, Ivy had already retreated into the greenhouse. The bright pink of her pheremones were tainting the air just inside of the greenhouse door. The scent of chamomille and lilacs floated to his nostrils as Eddie entered the large building, alerting him to his girl's discomfort.

A small smile creased Ed's cheeks as he thought about what he just told himself. His girl. That was what he was calling Ivy now. Maybe Sunni was right. He did love her, he just didn't want to embarrass himself. Well, caution was going to the wind that night. At least he was going to have a proper bed in the mansion. He might even get to sleep with Ivy if everything went as planned. Mel growled softly, one of his vines slithering out to tap Eddie on the shoulder.

"Hey Mel. Do you know where Ivy is?"

Somehow the giant plant understood him, lifting the huge vine to point towards the southwest corner of the large glass building. "Thanks Mel."

With cheerful skip in his step, Eddie bounced off towards where the Venus Flytrap pointed, the smell of Ivy's pheremones getting stronger. He found her in the bed of roses, cuddling Howard and Miles like she had Hayden when she first disappeared here. The smile split into a grin as Eddie snuck up behind her, shushing Howard as he started to giggle.

Leaning down, he whispered gruffly in Ivy's ear, "How's it goin' sexy momma?"

The green villianess jumped, whipping around as she clutched onto Miles and Howard. Annoyance crept into the bright green depths of her eyes as Ivy glared up at Ed. "Do you have to do that every time you greet me? What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?"

Eddie plopped down next to her, removing Miles from her grasp. "I would never give you a heart attack Ivy. You're much too pretty for that."

"Flirt."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me."

Despite the tears that had been building in her eyes, Ivy laughed, leaning her head against Ed's. He raised a hand and started to stroke her hair, eliciting a light sigh from the woman. "Why are you crying? We're going to live in a mansion for crying out loud!"

"I'm just going to miss my plants."

"They have greenhouse."

"Yeah, but those aren't MY plants. They're someone else's. I'm talking about Mel and the others. What's going to happen to them once we leave?"

A frown creased Edward's brow as he squeezed Ivy lightly. "I don't know, darling. But just think about all the new plants that you're going to get to help once we move. Wouldn't you like to help them?"

A sigh. "Yes. Thanks Eddie."

"I'll be here all week."

With a laugh, Ivy gave him a light kiss on the cheek and stood. The pair were almost to the door when they heard a high-pitched, girly shriek eminate from inside. Edward had to force himself not to burst out in hyena laughter as he said, "What do you want to bet that Hayden's burned of Johnathan's eyebrows?"

Girlish giggling erupted from Ivy as she pushed open the door and replied, "I would take that bet, but I don't want to pay you anything, so I won't."

Sure enough, when they reached the living room, Sunni was holding Hayden while the Scarecrow placed a wet cloth to his forehead. When removed, the fabric revealed that his eyebrows were indeed gone. The boys were practically rolling on the floor, pointing at the scrawny man and chanting, "Johnny's got no eyebrows! Johnny's no eyebrows!"

Harley was actually trying to scold them, her blue eyes twinkling with something close to disapproval. "Guys stop it! Johnny's never taken care of Hayden before. He couldn't a' known."

"Actually I did."

Now Sunni sniggered. "You're not helping your case there Spooky."

"Can we just leave now?"

Eddie answered as he entered the room brisquely. "I'd sure like to see this mansion of yours. So let's go!"

The boys leapt up, whooping and running out the door to the Escalade. It took them about two minutes to get into positions that they could rest comfortably in, but other than that, those children moved like lightning. The teenage Sunni rolled her eyes, leading the pack out to the General. Surprisingly, all nine wolves fit into the Charger. But they were adament in their decision to have Sunni drive.

At first Ivy was wary, but after the girl pointed out that she was Bandit, the villainess agreed to let her drive. By nominating herself, Harley was allowed to drive the Trans-Am, so Jonathan was stuck driving the Jaguar. He didn't mind though. How often did a criminal nerd like him get to drive a Jaguar? Answer; once in a blue moon.

And soon they were off, weaving through the streets of Gotham and heading towards the outskirts. Old derilict buildings, the smell of pollution, and the roar of traffic faded into the distance. The city of Gotham soon gave way to communities of large mansions with manicured lawns and the smell of fresh country air. Sunni led the way, slowly creeping towards a particularly impressive French Chateau-styled mansion

Light brick covered the exterior, with stones lining the doorways, windows and edges of the house. The lawn was a lush green, with a wrought-iron fence lining the sidewalk until it reached the driveway. A five-car garage stood off to the side, seperate from the entirity of the home. All in all, these kids had lived in veritable fortress for most of their lives.

Pulling into the drive, they shut off the vehicles and stepped out, the adults and pack staring up at the huge house while the children moved along like it was nothing. "Are you guys just gonna stand there gawking? Or are you going to help us unpack?"

Jolting out of her stupor, Ivy was the first one to offer a hand. She grabbed two of her bags and lifted them with relative ease. Snow, Akin, and Ziva kept right on staring, questions bombarding their human packmate's mind at a mile a minute.

**Do you really own this place?**

**Can we pee on the plants here?**

**Is there a backyard?**

**Am I allowed to kill the cats that come here?**

Mercifully, Thalia stepped up and reprimanded them, telling the trio to calm down or get back in the car. Immediately, they all shut up. Blissful, Sunni thanked the alpha female and continued un-loading the bags while Harley and Eddie got the toddlers out of the Escalade. Entering the front door, they were confronted with a grand entry-way, two marble staircases running up to a second floor and several doorways leading off to the side.

Brushing past her Mom, Sunni gave them all the grand tour, describing where everything was and who's room was who's.

"All the bedrooms are upstairs. On the right is mine, Eli and Gabe's, Cam and...well, Cam's room now. On the left is the master, Jasper's room, the nursery, and the guest bedroom. Harley can have that one. Jonathan can have the futon in the living room downstairs because I'm sure that Mom won't mind sharing the master with Eddie."

With an over-exaggerated kissy face, Sunni bounced off to her room, lugging her suitcases with her as she went. Eyes rolling, Ivy went to the left to find the master. It was at the very end of the hall, double-doors leading into an absolutely enormous room. Chocolate brown walls made it seem cozy, even with all the space between the California King sized bed and the dressers. There were two walk in closets, each with enough space to accomodate a full bathroom.

The on-suite bathroom had a large shower and a clawfoot tub along with it's impressive double vanity. Ivy had to hand it to Mr. Amyx; he had taste when it came to house decor. After taking in all the sights, she un-packed her things and went to go find Harley. The harlequin was already sitting in the room that was to become hers. An oddly thoughtful look graced her face as Harley scrunched up her nose.

"Red, do you think Sunni would mind if I did some personalization?"

"I don't know Harl. Ask her. I'm pretty sure that she said she was taking the pack out back."

With a graceful leap, Harley bounded over to her best friend and grasped her by the hand. With a rushed jog, the pair made their way downstairs, passing rooms with blurring speed. A kitchen that made Ivy's own seem juvenile flitted in and out of sight, along with the living room and a mahogany wood-paneled den. The dashing harlequin only stopped when she had to open the back door.

Out they went, bursting into an enclosed backyard that was more of a meadow than a yard. The pack was running about happily, chasing each other and rolling in the grass with their tongues lolling out. Sunni was with them, a huge grin plastered to her face as she played tug of war with an unusually happy Drake. A small smile split Ivy's face as she watched them play.

"I'm going to go find Eddie and the boys."

""Kay Red. I'm gonna stay out here for a while."

With that, their conversation was over. The plant villainess strode back into the house, navigating with relative ease for the size of the space. She was about to call out to the boys when something in the library caught her eye. There was a bookshelf that was standing open, leading down to a dimly lit hall. Curiousity caused her to move forward, almost unaware of her actions. Then the smell hit her.

It was antiseptic, like the hospital...or a scientific lab. But mixed within it was something else. It was metallic, sharp and stank like hell. Following the smell, Ivy went down the hall and came out in a laboratory. Immediately her heart froze in her chest. This was where it all happened. The experiments. Mr. Amyx's death. The bright rusty stain on the white tile floor bore testament to what her oldest adopted child did.

The machine that stood just before the blood-stain made Ivy's heart flutter with rage. That was what made her babies mutants. That horrid machine destroyed those kids' lives. She should destroy that thing, but she couldn't. There was nothing that she could see that would cause any significant damage to the wretched thing. So, she settled for leaving the lab and not looking back.

She soon found the boys in the kitchen, Eddie and Jonatha fixing them a snack. Camden turned back to her, flashing a sunny smile as he hopped down from his barstool. The island could seat all of the older children comfortably, not including the table that sat in a bay window area right next to it.

"Where've you been Mommy?"

Ivy put on her best smile and lifted the little boy into her arms. "Oh I've just been looking around."

Something close to terror flashed across Cam's face as he whispered, "Did you go into the library?"

"Yes."

"I don't like the library."

Gently, Ivy placed a kiss on his brow and said, "I know you don't baby. You don't have to go in there any more. Okay?"

"Okay Mommy."

The others looked at her strangely, but a stern glare from the small red-head quickly made them turn away. NOBODY wanted to get on the bad side of Ivy, especially Jonathan. He didn't want to have plants rip off certain parts of his anatomy. The thought made the Scarecrow shiver, so he went back to swiping peanut butter onto the bread.

Eli and Gabe caught the shudder and sniggered to each other. Living with Spooky meant that there was going to be an endless number of times they could tease him for being a nerd. The lanky man's flinch as Ivy waltzed over to the other side of the counter only intensified the chuckling.

"So what's cookin' good lookin'?"

Laughter caused Edward's shoulders to shake. "Since when do you think I'm good looking?"

A shrug. "Since you think I'm sexy."

"My dear, I think it's common knowledge to every man in Gotham city that you're the sexiest woman alive. I just think that it adds to your personality."

"I'm flattered."

A quick kiss to his cheek made Eddie blush crimson. Oh yes, his plan was working perfectly. Now if he could only find some booze...

_Hey ya'll! It's me again and I fell PRETTY! I'm sorry you had to hear that. At least you don't hear the voices as they sing in my head. They're loud and they make my twisted brain hurt. _

_Anyways...I LOVE you guys! Thanks for so many positive reviews! Now, I was hoping to get tips from all you readers, so I have a request. If you read this chapter, you must review my story. That goes for people who are annonymous as well. If you don't, I will get Gir to sing the Doom Song while I come after you dressed like Jason Voorhees. Or should it be Micheal Myers? _

_Decisions, decisions..._

_REVIEW ME!_

_With insane glee and evil love,_

_BlackRosePoetry_


	29. Chapter 29

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_Later that evening..._

"I can't believe the nerve of these people!"

Sunni's enraged outburst came out around a mouthful of Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk ice cream. They all sat in the gargantuan living room, curled up in their pajamas with a bowl of their favorite ice cream in their lap(Harley was especially pleased that there had been six different flavors of the stuff in the freezer). The 60" plasma screen was secured on the wall above the fireplace, displaying a news woman as she promptly recounted the story of the Riddler's stint in Gotham Regional Medical Center.

_"It seems that the missing children have been living with the three supervillains for over two weeks before the incident, slowly being brainwashed into thinking that the criminals were part of their family. There have even been reports that the recently escaped pack of wolves has been with the children, following the oldest like she was a part of the group. Police are currently searching the former hideout of Poison Ivy, but there is no trace to be found of the children or the escaped psychotics. We'll have more news for you later on in the evening."_

A small splutter came from Ivy as she tried to talk around her mouthful of Chunky Monkey. Her face was flushed as she gripped her bowl tightly, glaring at the offending anchorwoman venomously. "I'll kill her. I'll rip out her throat with my bare hands. Brainwashing!"

Next to her, Harley nudged her best friend before the curses started flying. Child or no, you've never truly heard someone curse if you hadn't heard a swear come from the mouth of Poison Ivy. "Red, you're gonna scare the boys."

Instant regret filled Ivy to the core as she looked at her boys. They were spread out on the floor, blankets and pillows aplenty on the beautiful polished walnut. Wide blue and brown eyes stared up at her, concern and apprehension filling them to the brim. Only Sunni seemed to be un-affected by the sudden outburst, her attention still glued to the flatscreen and her ice cream.

"I'm sorry boys. It's just really irritating that she'd even suggest that I'd brainwash you."

From the plush loveseat spoke Jonathan, cradeling a small bowl of Triple Caramel Chunk as he sat next to Miles. "It's not like you've not brainwashed people before. They're just going off the assumption that the kids are just normal hostages to you."

If looks could kill, the ice-cold stare Ivy sent at Scarecrow would be reason enough to start his funeral. But for his part, Jonathan was playing it cool. Something told him that as long as he was near the kids, his internal organs would remain intact.

Intelligent enough to see the Scarecrow's iminent death, Sunni leapt up and stood between the two, motioning for Eddie to wrap an arm around her Mom. Calmly, the Riddler obliged, squeezing the woman he now knew to be his girl gently.

Taking a deep breath, the teen put her nerd face on, trying to come up with a way to solve this particular dilemma. "Okay. So we know that you guys take care of us. They're just idjits and think that we're with you against our will. They know where the old house is, but they probably wouldn't expect us to come here."

A confused "huh" came from Eli as he turned his now-purple head towards his older sister. Chocolate Therapy coated the skin around his mouth as he favored Sunni with a rather blank expression.

"Let me elaborate. This is one of the most crime-free parts of Gotham city. The community we are currently residing in is a high security one, complete with nosy neighbors. But Dad was always sure to let the neighbors know that whatever he did was none of their buisness. He could've commited axe-murders in here, complete with screaming and blood-splattered windows and nobody would've called the cops!"

Harley whistled from her upside-down position on the chair-and-a-half. "Woah. And I thought Mistah' J had influence."

"My point is; no one would expect us to be here while you have plenty of hideouts scattered throughout Gotham. They probably think we're in Robinson Park or some place of that nature."

Leaping up from the floor, eyes twitching from a sugar-high, Gabe multiplied and hugged his older sister with a veritable mob of blond twiness. "You're a genius. I knew you were a genius before, I just never told you that. Am I talking fast? I can't tell. Wow that was really good ice cream! Can I please have some more?"

In fact, Gabe was talking fast. He had just finished his third bowl of S'mores, claiming that it was awesome beyond anyone's comprehension. Now the sugar rush was starting to affect him. Needless to say, the boy was cut off from the ice cream for the rest of the night.

"Yes you are talking fast. Now shut up."

Frowning, Ivy spoke to the teen while giving Howard a tiny bite of her Chunky Monkey. "Sunni, be nice to your brother."

"Yes Mom."

The family sat in silence for a moment, everyone digesting both the information Sunni had just given them and the copious amount of ice cream they had ingested. Surprisingly, it was Eli who spoke first, his voice steely with determination. "If they come here, they're gonna have to take me in a body bag. I'm NOT gonna leave Mom and Ed and Harl."

All the kids jumped in, agreeing hardily with the nine year old's statement. Warmth spread through Ivy's heart as she heard this. It felt good to know that something would stay at least somewhat constant in her crazy life. Their love only made her want to keep them safe more. Howard started to yawn, cooeing and snuggling into his mom as she sat down her bowl to hold him. Delicate green fingers stroked his silky blond hair as the baby drifted off to sleep, the sound of Ivy's breathing helping him along into the Land of Nod.

"Guys, we'll talk about this in the morning. It's bedtime."

For some reason, the kids agreed, trodding off to their bedrooms without a complaint. Bowls of half-eaten ice cream were cleaned out and put into the dishwasher before they left because Ivy wouldn't let them sleep if they didn't. But then Camden stopped.

Turning, his voice was quiet and small as he said, "Can I let the wolves in? I can't sleep without Snow and Ziva."

Before the green villainess by her side could answer, Harley spoke up. "'A course ya' can sport! I know how ya' feel."

With a grin, Camden ran up and gave all of them hugs before running off to the back door and flinging it open. allowing a flurry of fur and fang to fly into the mansion. They raced up to the bedrooms, two or three wolves each taking residence in a certain room.

A sigh escaped Ivy's throat as she stood from the couch, still cradleing Howard as she stepped lightly out of the living room. Following her example, Harley scooped up Miles and Hayden with a perky smile. It didn't take as long as she thought it would to reach the nursery, but when the clown reached the large room, Ivy was still holding onto Howard. The red-head just stared down at her little boy, a loving smile plastered to her face.

"Hey Red. Don'tcha think that ya'd better put him down?"

Ivy jerked her head up, staring at Harley with wide and slightly scared eyes. Then she smiled once again and nodded. Once all of the little boys were placed in their cribs, the villainesses said their goodbyes and parted ways. Down the hallway Ivy went, coming to Sunni's room so she could say goodnight. The teenage girl was passed out in large dark-purple bed, Fang and Thalia curled up on either side of her. Tip-toeing carefully, the auburn haired villainess placed a gentle kiss on the sleeping teen's forehead.

Then came the twins. Eli and Gabe's room looked kind of like one of Two-Face's layers. One side was a light blue color, neat and pristine as Gabe himself was. The other side was...well, it absolutely screamed Eli's personality. It was bright red, with clothes and various other unidentifiable objects. But the twins weren't looking around their multiple-personality room. Both were snoring, cuddling against Lyall and Steel. Older and grayer, Steel fit perfectly with the rough and tumble side of the room.

Blond, tousled hair popped up in Gabe's bed. "Momma? What'r you doin'?"

"I came to say goodnight."

A sleepy smile. "Goodnight Mom."

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams."

With that, Ivy went on to see Camden. The little boy was already snoring, arms wrapped around Ziva. With a light kiss to his temple, the mother went off to see Jasper. Once again, despite all the late-night sugar, the little three year old was out cold. Snow was with him, curled up like a pillow and snoring softly as the world went by around them. Slightly wary of waking up the little white wolf, Ivy didn't stop to kiss Jasper, but she did whisper goodnight to him.

Yawning, the villainess looked at the clock, surprised to find that it was already almost ten o' clock at night. Entering the master, Ivy dressed robotically, not even bothering to look up at the bed. Ever so carefully, Ivy had to maneuver around Akin as he slumbered on the floor. Tired and still slightly irritated with the media, she slipped under the silk sheets. But her eyes flew open when she brushed against someone's skin. That someone was already snoring, chest rising and falling rhythmically as they slept.

It was Eddie. Incredibly, the man had managed to swipe some pajamas from the dresser, get changed, and fall asleep in the time it took her to say goodnight to all of the kids. What's more was, he was one of those people that looked absolutely adorable once they drifted off to Dream Land. Almost of it's own accord, a hand came out and started to stroke loose hairs away from his face. He was really pretty once he relaxed.

Part of Ivy knew that this was probably wrong, but another part of her just wanted to snuggle with him. Shrugging to herself, the villainess let the cuddly part of her heart take over, pressing herself against Eddie's side with a purr. He was warm and smelled of Triple Caramel Chunk ice cream. Inadvertently, an arm wrapped itself around Ivy's shoulders and drew the woman even closer to her. It felt really great to have someone to snuggle with.

Soon, she began to drift off, muttering something about getting used to snuggling as sleep overtook her.

_The next morning~ December 14th _

Sunni awoke the next morning, an annoying buzzing and ringing sound jarring her awake.

**What the hell is that, Fang? **

**No Momma, I don't wanna eat the moose.**

**Fang!**

The huge wolf jolted awake, eyes wide as he processed everything in a second**. What? Who? Where?**

**You said something about your mother and moose meat.**

Somehow, the alpha male managed to look embarrased as his mate awoke laughing. **It was a bad memory. I'd prefer we didn't talk about it.**

**Alright Mr. Moose. We won't talk about it. How's about we talk about that annoying sound that's coming from outside?**

Stretching and hopping to the floor, the trio rushed over to the window. What they saw made Sunni more angry than she could ever remember being. There were media vans, trucks, and various members of the paparrazi outside. All of the men and women had flashing cameras, shouting in annoyingly high voices for the members of the family to come out.

How in the name of Jesus Christ Almighty did they manage to find her and her family? Apparently, Harley and Jonathan thought the same thing, as both of the adults had been woken up by the sounds of the megaphones.

"Child, I thought you said that this place was perfectly safe?"

NOW, the teen was irate, almost comically so in her Mickey Mouse pajama bottoms and tank top. "I don't know how! No one should know that we've come back here! The neighbors are too afraid to rat on us, so I don't know how the hell everyone knows that we're here! So don't blame this crap on me Spooky!"

"Hey! Less fighty. More worky. How are we going to get them to leave?"

Sunni shrugged at the harlequin's question. "Staying inside the house is the only answer I can think of."

"Yeah. Those idiots better hope that they don't wake up Red or the babies. They'll be picking cactus needles out of their butts for the next five years!"

_Yo! I'll tell you what I want! What I really really want!_

_So tell me what you want! What you really really want!_

_I want...REVIEWS! _

_I love all the tips and love that I've recieved! Thank you litra for pointing out the media thing. I hadn't even thought about that until you mentioned it! And I would like to shout out to AvenJackel, Smile-Evily, and Hidden by Shadow for following my re-write for so long! I love you all so much!_

_Now I want to cry!...And now I want to eat Cosmic Brownies. So, keep reading and I'm sure that Smile-Evily will pleasantly surprised. *grin* You know what I'm talkin' about dude!_

_With love and chocolately goodness,_

_BlackRosePoetry_


	30. Chapter 30

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Amyx Mansion's master bedroom, illuminating a sight that some would call cute. If you knew the occupants of the California King, however, you would describe the scene before your eyes as just plain weird.

Poison Ivy was pressed tightly against the Riddler's side, a purr almost rising in her throat as she slept. The small woman's green skin and red hair contrasted greatly with all the deep red color of the sheets, but one wouldn't take notice of that fact. Just watching the smile on her face as she slept would be enough to make some pass out. But what was really shocking was that Edward Nygma, the man of a thousand riddles, was cuddling with her in his sleep as well.

It was all really confusing to Akin as he sat on the edge of the bed and whined. His friend wasn't normally with someone. Now he didn't get _his_ cuddling time! And to him, that was just plain mean, because Ivy was really warm.

But then the other person began to stir, prompting Akin to leap off of the end of the bed. It simply wouldn't do to have cacti growing permanently out of his butt if he was caught. Ever so carefully, he crept to the Eddie's side, watching with icy blue eyes as the man opened his own eyes to look around the room groggily. He almost seemed...confused for a moment, but then he quickly regained his senses and broke into a triumphant smirk.

Ever so gently, Eddie raised his hand and started to stroke Ivy's hair. The long strands were spread out on the pillow, knots and kinks interwoven within the silky locks. But soon they began to unwind, flowing gently over his fingers. The still sleeping plant villainess grinned, snuggling closer to the source of the stroking.

Then sounds began to float into the quiet room, disturbing the perfect peace of the room. The smile on both of the adult's faces faded, turning into frowns of confusion. Venomous green eyes fluttered open as Ivy awoke with a yawn.

"Wassat?"

The in-articulate question made Eddie laugh despite the loud sounds coming from outside. He drew Ivy on top of him and kissed her on the forhead. "Wake up, sleepy-head. There's something outside."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise and she leapt up, blushing deeply at the position she found herself in. From the other side of the bed Akin trotted, wagging his beautiful, white, plumed tail as he rubbed against Ivy's legs. "What're you talking about?"

Confused, Eddie's frown deepened, creasing his usually smooth brow. "Don't you hear them? It's coming from the front lawn."

Listening hard, the auburn-haired woman finally realized exactly what Eddie was talking about. It was the sound of voices and cameras and vans and so many other things that brought unpleasant flashes of her many arrests back to her. Ivy's skin darkened in anger as she pulled back the draps that faced the front lawn of the mansion.

Dammit! Those stupid paparazzi reporters were like cockroaches! A growl escaped her throat as she paced back towards the door, throwing it open with Akin on her heels. Eddie quickly followed her down the hallway. He wasn't surprised by the rather violent reaction, but it still worried him.

What would happen if she went berserk on the men and women outside the house? The answer to that question would be this; nothing good.

"Ivy, dearest, calm down. You're going to wake up the boys with your stomping." The frantic whisper slowed her rampage through the house, but it did nothing to calm her livid temper.

Ivy whipped around, eyes blazing with concentrated rage as what she saw on the lawn circled through her mind. "I will not calm down! They're sticking their noses in business that is **so **not theirs! I don't want my babies around people like that."

And with an angry flip of her head, Ivy was down the stairs and heading towards the sounds of people in the kitchen. Edward sighed. This was going to be a REALLY long day.

_Kitchen_

Unaware of the fury of her adopted mother, Sunni ate a large bowl of _Cinnamon Toast Crunch _happily with Harley and Jonathan. They were discussing her drum kit when Ivy burst into the large room. Her bright red hair shone in the light of the kitchen, looking like fire made tangible as it shone. "Who the heck are all those people outside?"

With wide eyes, Harley and Sunni gave each other a conspiritory look. Guiltily, hazel eyes looked up at the furious woman as Sunni said, "Paparazzi people."

"I thought you said this place was safe."

A sudden look of thoughtful annoyance crossed Sunni's face as she groaned. "Mrs. Jezeorski! I forgot about Broccoli Head!"

The collective frown around the room prompted the teen to further explain herself. "There's this old lady that lives a couple of houses down. We call her Broccoli Head because her head's shaped like a broccoli flower. She must've called the press last night. Mrs. Jezeorski's always got her nose stuck in other peoples' buisness."

Just when it looked like Ivy was about to explode, Eddie burst into the room, Akin; Thalia; and Fang on his heels. He was anxious looking, but quickly assessed the situation with a cool head. "Ivy, I think one of the babies' is up. Can you please check?"

Ivy still looked like she was about to kill somebody, but when Edward walked up and squeezed her hand gently, she calmed down. With a still slightly curt nod, she took off for the nursery. It didn't take long before she could hear the soft whimpering cries that Eddie had been talking about. Padding across the hardwood floor, Ivy entered the large room to find that little Hayden had woken up.

But the cries and whimpers ceased as soon as Ivy scooped the small baby up. Now he was smiling at her. A fake pout crossed his mom's face as she pressed her forehead to his. "What's the matter baby? Did the mean men outside wake you up?"

A giggle escaped Hayden as he pressed further into Ivy's chest. Cooeing and bouncing the little boy in her arms, the plant villainess went back downstairs. Apparently something momentous had occured to Sunni in the time that she had been gone, as they were all gathered around the phone.

"Um, hi Tim. This is Sunni."

Silence. "Yes I know it's been a long time. But I'm here now, and I've got a favor to ask."

The tension in the air was almost palpable. "Okay, can you come down and tell the paparazzi people to leave? They're starting to tick certain members of the house off."

More silence, and then a smile. "You are a GOD-SEND Tim. Thanks. I'll see ya in a minute."

When Sunni hung up the phone, the harlequin by her side pounced, pulling her into a bone-crushing bear hug. The only thing that really broke through Harley's resulting squeal was Hayden's little whimpers. Gently, Ivy stroked his hair while she raised an eyebrow at the little crowd gathered there.

"So who's this Tim person?"

Everyone jumped, looking over at the woman as she stepped further into the kitchen. A slight smirk had replaced the angry grimace Ivy had worn earlier. But even so, the others were still wary. Ivy's temper was notoriously fickle.

That still didn't keep Edward from coming over and kissing her atop the head. "Someone's in a better mood."

"You still haven't answered my question."

Sunni shrugged and grabbed some more cereal from the table. "He's the boy Bruce Wayne adopted a couple of years ago. We were friends until Dad went all psycho on us."

All of the adults winced at the word "psycho", but no one really said anything. Something new had insinuated itself into the noises coming from outside. They were louder, more demanding and insistent. And there was another voice amongst them as well, younger and much calmer than any of the others.

"Please, just leave this home. You're disturbing the peace of the neighborhood, and I have homework!"

"It's Christmas break,kid!"

"How the hell do you know whether or not I have homework? Get lost!"

There was a roar of sound. Sunni sighed while the other looked out towards the front lawn in horror. Biting her nails nervously, Harley stuck her head out of the doorway. "Do you think we should help him?"

A shrug. "Tim's pretty darn tough. I'm sure he can handle himself."

Just as she said that, a loud thud and more shouting eminated from outside. The ruckus was so loud, it scared Hayden, causing him to start crying again. A concerned looked crossed both Ivy and Eddie's face as the former of the two tried to calm her baby boy down.

"Maybe I should help him."

_Hey ya'll! I'm sorry that I haven't been updating lately. I've got another story in the works and it's been kind of difficult to update both stories as quickly as you're all used to._

_But please review and leave me everything but flames. You're opinion is appreciated._

_With optimism and love, _

_BlackRosePoetry_


	31. Chapter 31

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

"Hey get away from him!"

Sunni popped out of the front door, her eyes blazing as she saw the horde of reporters swarming the smaller boy in their midst. With lightning fast reflexes, the girl warded off the insatiable mob while pulling Tim through into the house.

"What the?..."

Looking around wildly, Tim noticed that Sunni was grinning at him. "Thanks for trying Tim, but I think that you were just a little bit outnumbered. Don't you?"

A laugh rose unbidden in the boy's throat as he and his best friend hugged. "It's been a while."

"Heck yeah! But that tends to happen when your father goes insane on you."

"That seriously happened?"

"Yep. It's also true that we're all living with villains, but it's really not as bad as it sounds."

Talking and laughing all the way, the friends made their way back into the kitchen. It was just like old times again, when Tim and Sunni were an almost inseperable team. The only difference now was that there were currently four wanted villains sitting at the kitchen table instead of a genius father with a paper. Stunned at the two's reaction and friendship, silence permeated the air. Only Hayden seemed to be unaffected and was eating a bowl of oatmeal without complaint.

Freezing in the doorway, Tim looked warily at the villains and villanesses that were staring at him. Another thing that caught his attention were three large, wolf-like dogs that were sitting at Sunni's feet. "I thought you couldn't have pets."

"That was before Dad died. Mom and the others don't mind the pack now."

Confusion. "What? Mom? I thought your mom died about a year ago?"

Sunni winced, but smiled nonetheless. "My biological mom died. I'm pretty sure Ivy's still kickin'."

Tim's eyes widened dramatically as he gaped open-mouthed at Ivy. "Dang. How come I can't have a hot mom?"

"Ew! Tim!"

"What?"

Rolling her eyes, Sunni went over and grabbed some more cereal from the pantry. Harley and Jonathan were almost in tears as they tried not to laugh at the expression on the young boy's face as he watched Ivy. What made it even funnier was the red-headed villainess was completely oblivious to his gawking. Even Eddie, who was normally completely and utterly stoic, was trying to hide a snicker behind his hand as he watched Tim stare at Ivy.

"Yo Tim! Stop oggling my mother and eat your breakfast!"

Whipping around, the aforementioned woman stared right at the young boy, making him blush ferociously. Clearing his throat, Tim turned back to Sunni. "That's okay. Alfred made me breakfast this morning."

Longing flared to life in the girl's eyes as she heard about the old butler. "Aw man! I miss Alfred's breakfast."

An indignated frown crossed Ivy's face. "I've made you breakfast for the past month."

"Sorry Mom. Alfred's cooking's on a whole new level of awesomeness. And if I recall correctly, I was usually the one that made breakfast. You were too busy shaking the house with your snoring!"

"Are you serious? Poison Ivy SNORES?"

"Yep. Like a freight train."

Surprisingly, the last response came from Eddie. EVERYONE in the room stared at the Riddler as he said this. "What?"

"How do you know Ivy snores Mr. Nygma?"

A wicked grin split Sunni's face as she watched the reaction on Eddie's face. The man's eyes widened as he watched the oldest child's features darken with wicked glee. "Don't you dare!"

"He knows because Eddie LOVES Ivy!"

"ARGH! I'm going to kill you child!"

Sunni and Tim exchanged quick glances before speaking to each other once more. "What do you suggest we do, oh geni friend of mine?"

"Well Tim, the way I see it, we have two options; 1) stay and die and 2) run screaming for our lives."

A pause. "AHHHHHHHH!"

"Get back here you two!"

Ivy rolled her eyes as the three shot out the kitchen door. Now Jonathan and Harley were positively _howling_, rolling on the floor as tears poured down their faces. Even Hayden was giggling at the utter childishness of the situation. But still Ivy would not laugh.

She was still too pissed off at the media to burst into hysterical giggles. Still, Tim was an adorable boy. Even if he kept staring at her. It wouldn't hurt to let him stay until the news circus outside cleared up. From above, Ivy could hear the growls of the other wolves in the pack and the pounding feet of the boys.

Great. They're all up now.

To some, this would've been the beginnings of a bad day. Others would've seen it as a disaster in the making. Ivy, however, just took it all in stride. This wasn't going to ruin her day in the slightest. It was just a rough start to another wonderful time with her boys, nothing more.

Akin came trotting over to her, his shaggy white chest heaving as he panted. A perpetual smile seemed to be plastered to the wolf's muzzle. He nuzzled her leg, obviously wanting her to scratch him on the head. "You are spoiled rotten, you know?"

The only response Ivy got was the steady thump of Akin's tail on the hardwood floor of the chateau. Soon, Eli shot into the kitchen, a puzzled look plastered to his rather angelic looking features. "Why is Eddie chasing Sunni and Tim around the house screaming that he's gonna kill 'em?"

"Oh, your sister just said something that set him off. Don't worry; Eddie'll never be able to catch them."

"Okay Mom. Hey, after breakfast, do you think it'd be okay if we went over to Tim's house and hung out? I miss seeing Alfred."

"What is it with you children and Alfred?"

"The old guy's got spunk. That's saying somethin' for a guy that's ancient beyond belief."

Ivy sighed. "Oh alright. Just go out the back door. I don't want to see any of you guys on the news tonight. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Momma."

_Howdy ya'll! How's it goin'?_

_Sorry I haven't updated as fast as you're used to. I've got another story I'm working on that's taking my time. That and it's been raining almost non-stop for five days. It's seriously wet here in the Ozarks. If there's anyone else who lives in the area I'm talking about, I would love to hear a shout-out from ya._

_Anyways, on with the show! _

_I haven't heard from Catchfire in a while, so if you're reading this, please send me a review. I crave love. I crave love from all of you! Don't hesistate to send me a review._

_As long as it's not flames. If you flame me, I will send all of my mass-murderer friends after you! This list includes - Freddie Kruguer, Jason Voorhees, and Micheal Myers. And Marilyn Manson will be sicced on you as well!Dude, I love that guy! He's so sexy!_

_Welp, that's enough of my craziness for one day!_

_With complete and utter insane love, _

_BlackRosePoetry_


	32. Chapter 32

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

_10:30 a.m~December _

Ivy wasn't in a particularly good mood this morning. The media circus on the front lawn had done nothing to improve her ever-growing anger at the world. The fact that the kids were gone, leaving her alone with the other adults only made her even edgier. Well, Eddie wasn't really all that bad. But Harley and Jonathan were kind of like caffeine; only good in small doses. Akin and the others were trying to stay silent, moving through the chateau like ghosts.

"Hey Red!"

Cringing slightly from the high-pitched tone of her best friend, the villainess turned around. The clowny girl was wearing a bright red wife-beater shirt(ironic no?) and some Mickey Mouse pajama bottoms. Her baby blue eyes were wide in excitement and her normal cheerful grin was stretching her cheeks out. "Ya gotta see this Red!"

"What is it now Harley?"

"I found Sunni's drum studio!"

A singular eyebrow was raised in skepticism. Ivy seriously doubted that finding a drum kit in an out of the room was worth getting excited over. Despite her obvious doubts, she followed Harley as the girl literally bounced back down the hallway. A door stood open at the very end, revealing a deep black wall that seemed to suck the light out of the very air.

"Isn't it cool Pam?"

Upon entering the alleged "drum studio", she found that it was more like a professional studio than anything she'd ever encountered. A sound system that would rival any one used in the Manhatten clubs was set in the deep black wall. Strange, S-like shapes were set into the walls, so bright red in color that they looked like they were painted in blood. A CD rack took up the almost half of the massive expanse of walls. The other half was designated completely for drumsticks, spare cymbals, and other maintenance equipment required to upkeep the rather impressive kit.

To put it simply, the kit was amazing.

Composed entirely of black hardware, the massive set of drums took up the middle of the room. The double bass drums had the same insignia that was lined on the walls on their heads. Cymbals of all shapes and sizes stood on black stands around it. The snares and toms were standing perfectly in center according to size. 8", 10", 12", 14", and 16", along with a singularly awesome looking 18". Incredibly, there were also tapes on the stands that were labeled.

_Sunni on Psychosocial_

_Sunni on Beast and the Harlot_

_Sunni on Eyeless_

Almost of its own accord, Ivy's hand reached out to touch one of the various tapes. One had been quite recent, dated at November 12th. It was labeled _Sunni on All Hope is Gone._

"Harl, do you think she's good?"

A nearly inaudible voice floated from the doorway, startling both of the zoned women out of their reverie. "She's really good. I put one of those tapes in the player. The kid could be a professional."

Jonathan was leaning against the doorframe. His thin frame just barely cleared the trim, but a small smile was upon his face nonetheless. The blond graced the former proffesor with a huge smile, but Ivy did nothing but huff. She was simply not in the mood to be startled.

"What possessed you to sneak up on us Johnathan?"

The incredibly skinny man cocked an eyebrow at the irritated villainess. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I was merely watching you two walk through a place that Sunni specifically told me not to enter."

A frown creased Ivy's brow. "She never told _me_ not to come in here."

"That's because you don't like to observe things in complete detail. I do. This set's been destroyed before. You can tell from the scratches all around the hardware."

Something clicked in the green woman's eyes. "She's scared that it'll happen again."

Eddie's voice drifted down the hallway. "Hey! Why am I all alone? I have ice cream."

Smiling wryly, the plant villainess started back towards the living room. Today wasn't really all THAT bad. She just needed some snuggling time and a call from her babies.

_Wayne Manor~11:30 a.m_

"So how have you children been doing?"

Alfred's question wasn't at all accusing, but it still made Sunni and the twins slightly nervous. What would their elderly friend think of them if he realized that they had been partaking in several illegal activities over the past month? Suddenly a gentle smile crossed the butler's face.

"I know where you children have been living these past few weeks. I'm not disappointed."

Confusion crossed Eli's face. "You aren't?"

Alfred shook his head. "You children saw the good in people that most consider completely evil. For that, you should be proud."

With a peculiarly triumphant smirk, the butler passed around mugs of hot chocolate. They were all seated in the large living room of Wayne Manor. The children sprawled on the floor, the eldest ones making a ring around the babies as they played in the center of the room. Hayden's red hair shone like a beacon against the dark wood.

"Mom's heart was always in the right place. She just doesn't have the patience to wait for conventional means of saving plants to work. Harley's good, just hyper. Johnathan's weird. And Eddie's just really, REALLY pompous sometimes."

Tim groaned. "You're Mom's really hot."

A frown. "Master Tim, that is not an appropriate conversation to have around the younger children."

"But it's true Alfred! Ivy's super pretty in ways that melt your heart."

Sunni grinned evilly. "It sounds like somebody has a crush on my mother."

"I do not! I just appreciate her beauty more than most."

"Meaning that you're in LOVE with her!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Are not!"

"Am too! Wait... dang it Sunni!"

The fourteen year old gave a mock bow in the middle. "My talents in the field of trickery are unmatched."

Alfred rolled his eyes. His December just got a LOT more interesting.

_Howdy people!_

_I FAIL IN COMPLETE, UTTER EGGREGARIOUS WAYS! I'm so sorry I haven't updated. _

_I have suckiness issues._

_But if you truely love me(in ways that don't match up to Mark David Chapman's type of love), you will review this chapter! _

_I love you, but do you love me? That's the question you're going to have to answer in your reviews!_


	33. Chapter 33

**The Rose and Her Thorns**

Sunni quickly shushed her brother's murmuring, silently sneaking close to the swarming mob of reporters. Her hazel eyes quickly flashed amber in annoyance; the woman who'd insulted Ivy earlier was amongst the crowd. Watching these remorseless invader's of privacy swarm her family's home made the girl's skin crawl in disgust. Did no one have any sense of decency at this day in age? A wicked plan began forming in the darkest recesses of her rather twisted mind. Going into it in detail would be rather frightening, so let's suffice it to say that it involved Drake, a dead cat, and buckets of fake blood.

The teen turned towards her best friend, who crouched beside her, and grinned. "You wouldn't happen to know where Bruce keeps the theatrical makeup his ex-girlfriends left, would you?"

Tim raised an eyebrow in suspicion and replied slowly, "Yeah I do; why do you need professional makeup supplies for?"

"I've got an idea for how to get rid of these pestering leeches. So, could you get them and come over to the house around 3:00?"

Tim smirked slightly. "Sure; I'll be there by 3:15. You can fill me in on all the twisted details then. And don't tell me your plan isn't twisted or slightly psycho! I know you _way _too well for that crap to fly."

Without another word, the dark-haired boy darted back towards his guardian's mansion. Sunni sighed and returned to glaring at the paparazzi mob in her front yard. Just how in the hell were they supposed to sneak back in without them noticing? Eli might've been able to move faster than the speed of sound, and Camden could turn invisible, but there wasn't anything the rest of them could do to avoid being seen other than ducking low and moving quickly. She sighed. Oh well; there wasn't anything to complain about by this point other than the harassment.

Eli darted over to his elder sister, spiked red hair not moving even an inch in the breeze he created. "Hey Sunni; we should probably get home. Mom and Harl are probably worried sick."

Glaring at the leech-like television reporters one last time, Sunni nodded slowly. She turned back towards her little brothers with a slight smile forming on the corners of her lips. "Come on guys; let's go home. But be careful and don't be seen. Try and get to the back yard as quickly as possible."

The others nodded sagely. Eli went first, darting into the backyard with enough speed to make the grass sway, like what you see when a car passes the ditch. Gabe and Camden went next, the younger of the two clutching onto his elder brother's hand as he weaved between shrubberies to reach the yard. Finally, Sunni and Jasper decided to go. Growling, Sunni held Jasper tightly to her chest, dashing towards their back fence and just barely managing to reach it before someone noticed her. She sighed in relief; that was a really close call. And Ivy's threat earlier was still ringing inside her head, so that was something to be proud of.

Ziva and Akin darted out the back door, wagging their tails as they bounded towards their favorite humans. They pounced on Gabe and Camden and licked every inch of skin they could before the two boys could eventually beat them off. Sunni just chuckled, releasing Jasper's hand as she whispered that he should play with the wolves for a while. At her little brother's enthusiastic nod, she slipped inside the back door, allowing Snow, Dea, and Steel to pass by her. A grin split the teen's lips; oh how her family had grown! Action never ceased!

Fang padded silently up to his human packmate, sitting passively at her feet and pricking up his scarred ears. **So how was your visit with your friend? I hear you and him caused quite a ruckus with Eddie this morning. **

Sunni snickered nastily, reaching down to scratch behind the alpha male's ears. **Yeah; it was kinda fun teasing the guy that's been like a Dad to me. Tim's actually coming over around three. I've got a plan to get the reporters outside to go away. Do you think you could do me a favor and kill one of those stray cats I've been seein' around outside?**

**But of course. You should use Drake if you really want to scare those swarming meat-sacks. He can be rather frightening when he wants to be; that, and my pup enjoys meat coming from a cat. Don't ask how I know.**

Sunni raised an eyebrow. **Okay; just go out through the new dog-door. And don't be seen! God knows we don't need any footage of a wolf running around in a gated community. **

Without commenting, Fang stood and stretched, muscles rippling under his pelt. He gracefully loped out of the aforementioned dog-door. Sunni shook her head; there were so many things about that wolf that baffled her. But she loved him anyways. She sighed and padded down the hallway, entering the kitchen. Jonathan was making himself a sandwhich on the island, Drake curled up at his feet in a silent heap.

"Hey Jon. We're back."

The skinny man raised a thin eyebrow at his younger counterpart. "Obviously. Did you know that Ivy and Harley have found your drum studio? They told me to send you to them as soon as you got home; apparently, they want to know why you forbid anyone to enter that particular area of the house."

Sunni scowled. "Of course; I take Harl was the one who actually found it?"

Jonathan's following silence was the only confirmation the teenager needed. She rolled her eyes and brushed past the supposed Master of Fear to grab a cola from the refridgerator. As the cola hissed from its opening, she sent out a mental message to Drake. **Hey D; you wanna help me scare the crap out of the leeches outside? You get to obliterate a dead cat and look bloody if that'll help convince you to help.**

The large canine perked up, padding alongside Sunni when she entered the long hallway into the great room. His amber eyes shone with intelligent interest and the edges of his maw quirked up into what almost resembled a grin. **Blood, fear, and dead cats? Count me in. So, when does this brilliant plan get put into action?**

**Around 3:30; Tim's gotta get here with all the theatrical blood around three, so it'll take me a little bit to get you just bloody enough for my satisfaction. That means afterwards you're going to look like you just mass-murdered an entire city. That also means you'll need a bath when my plan's done.**

Drake sneezed loudly. **Oh well; easy come, easy go. At least I can look scary for once. Your younger siblings get scared over the tiniest things.**

Shaking her head, Sunni entered the great room, only to be met with Ivy's patented look-of-extreme-disapproval. She shuddered; that look sucked. It was Ivy's version of the cone of shame, and the cone of shame was BAD. A sheepish smile split her lips and she murmured, "So. . . nice weather we're having here huh?"

"Sunni Anne Amyx, why didn't you tell me that you'd forbidden anyone from going into your drum studio?"

A wince. Damn; the middle name had been used. That meant she was in deep shit. The girl looked over Ivy's shoulder at Eddie and Harley, who were watching the whole scene from the sectional, and mouthed _"Help me!"_

Both adults looked at each other, then back at her, and in complete unison shook their heads no. Sunni pursed her lips, mouthing back, _"You cowards!"_

Eddie nodded rather proudly and sat back to watch the show. **Well Drake, you can leave now. If you hear a loud scream of shock and horror, remember me as I was okay?**

**Can do. Your mother has the tendency to scare me shitless. **

**Thank you for that lovely comment.**

**No problem. **

Without further ado, Drake darted out of the room, leaving his packmate alone with her rather pissed-off adopted mother. Sunni gulped; tiptoeing around the subject wasn't her strong point, so she might as well just get it over with. She took a deep breath. "Well, I've forbidden anyone from going in there because last time I let someone, they destroyed my drum kit. And that certain someone just so happens to be dead right about now, so I would really appreciate it if we could just drop the subject Mom."

Ivy flushed a dark green, pursing her lips. Another wince from the teenager. Oh, she was so in over her head. She should've just stopped after the hint about her long-dead dad. But surprisingly, no screaming came. Opening her hazel eyes, Sunni yelped like a whooped dog when she realized that Ivy was mere millimeters away from the end of her nose. Bright emerald gems glared angrily at her, followed by a low, even voice that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"Sunni, you should tell me about stuff like this. I might not be your biological mother, but I sure as hell care enough about stuff like that. Next time, come and talk to me about it, and I won't be forced to scare the ever-loving crap out of you to get the real answer. Am I being perfectly clear?"

Sunni stared at the older women with wide doe-eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

A smirk. "Good girl. Now, have you figured out a way to get those reporters out of the front yard yet? I'm starting to get a headache from all the yelling."

The teenager's formerly meek attitude was replaced by an evil giggle. Amber flashed momentarily in her eyes as she said, "Yep. Tim's coming over at around three to bring all the supplies we need to make the blood-suckers leave. Just make sure that Howard, Miles, and Hayden are all upstairs when it goes into action; blood has a tendency to freak them out."

Harley stood from her position on the couch, a frown creasing itself around her baby blues. "What're you talkin' about? No one around here's bleeding."

Sunni grinned, flopping onto a huge loveseat with her hands behind her head. "I'm going to use a wolf, fake blood, and a dead cat to get my point across. And believe me, this is going to be the most fun I've had in forever."

Eddie gulped loudly at the predatory look in the girl's now-amber eyes. Those reporters might've been irritating and all, but damn if he didn't feel sorry for the poor bastard who Sunni got a hold of.

**_I'M BACK BITCHES!_**

**_It's a New Year, a new chapter, and a whole crapload of inspiration for this story. Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while, but I ran into a total bastard case of writer's block. Forgive me! And on that lovely note, I need to tell you that after all these reporters get scared shit-less, there will be a much happier time in Amyxland. I'm actually going to be using an idea given to me by a very dear reviewer of mine, so you'll have to be patient, as I'll check and recheck my work until it's so freakin' perfect, it's not even funny._**

**_Well, place your reviews by pressing the blue button that says "review" in the page's crotch, and I hope you liked the chapter!_**

**_Lots of maniacal Sunni-love,_**

**_BlackRosePoetry_**


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